Burning Deadfall
by Samurai101
Summary: AU::COMPLETE::The Kyuubi has control of Naruto's body, and Konoha is suffering. Iruka has two choices, and he's about to crash and burn.::T for violence and character death::
1. Chapter 1

_They painted up your secrets,  
__With the lies they told to you,  
__And the least they ever gave you,  
__Was the most you ever knew_.-Acoustic #3-Goo Goo Dolls

* * *

Umino Iruka had done many things in his life he wasn't proud of. He'd cheated on some tests in school. He'd gotten Kou-chan blamed for punching Ayame. He'd killed an innocent on a mission(accidentally). He'd taken far too much pleasure in almost ripping someone apart with a nasty jutsu. He'd killed a child, and there were so many more things he wished he wished he had never done.

He was about to add another thing to that list.

He looked back at the ANBU behind him and received several nods. He walked forward, his senses heightened to new levels of awareness by his own adrenaline and that of the people around him. His footsteps were loud on the ground. All the trees were dead and showering the ground with leaves. Iruka's fingers twitched towards the kunai and shuriken he carried, but he didn't draw any. He walked forward five more steps and stopped.

For an instant there was a terrible silence, and then Iruka heard _it_. _It_ was a noise that rumbled up from the very ground itself. Iruka felt chakra rush against his skin, and he felt like he was burning. He took a breath, and the air tasted metallic. The rumble slowly died, but the metallic taste lingered. Iruka closed his eyes for a second, and then licked his lips. They tasted like blood.

"Naruto."

The word was loud. It made Iruka flinch even as he formed more words to say. "Na-naruto, are you there?"

He received a flash of burning chakra as his answer, and he waited. His muscles knotted, and something in him screamed he should run. The chakra gathering around him was filled with malice and blood-lust. Dead leaves suddenly showered down from one tree, each bursting into flame before it hit the ground. Iruka's hands tightened into fists as he waited for the entire forest to burst into flame.

It didn't, and Iruka waited. His breath was coming fast, and sweat was pouring down his face. He knew he should run. Chakra was building around him like a thunder storm. He could almost see it as it swirled through the air. Each breath burned in his lungs.

"Sssssenseeeei," a voice hissed. Iruka's entire body shivered. His skin crawled, and it was all he could do to stand still. He wanted to close his eyes, but he couldn't. He watched as something slid around the trees and stopped.

Iruka wet his lips again and tried twice before he managed to speak. "Naruto, come here," He whispered hoarsely. The chakra was now accompanied with a scent that made Iruka gag. It was a heavy, clinging, musky odor that Iruka could taste.

Leaves crackled and broke all around Iruka. He could now tell where the smell and chakra were coming from. He watched in fascinated horror as the creature moved forward. Once it had been a boy, a small, golden-haired boy with big blue eyes and a smile like no other. Once it had been a promising shinobi with a love for his comrades and village. Once it had been Uzumaki Naruto.

Now it was something else. The limbs were too long, and the ears had lengthened obscenely. It possessed claws and mouthful of fangs. It moved with in a way that made searching eyes slide over it, except when it wanted to be seen. If it wanted to be seen then it caught someone with its eyes. Those eyes were a terrifying bloody red, and one look drained the courage from any shinobi.

Iruka stood his ground, and watched the creature slide closer. The leaves it touched were burned up instantly. Chakra glowed around it. Blood stained what was left of its clothes and its sharp claws. It advanced on Iruka, eyes glued to him.

Iruka stood. His heart hammered in his chest, and his mind went to the ANBU behind him. He remembered the hawk ANBU's plan for the disposal of the creature. He remembered the trigger point for the trap, which was only three yards in front of him, and what would happen when the creature triggered the trap. For a moment he almost shouted for the creature to run, and then he saw the blood stained claws. He kept his gaze low and began to speak again.

"Where've you been Naruto?" he asked. He licked his lips again, and his voice cracked. " 'S'been a while, huh?"

The creature growled low in its throat and continued its sliding advance. Iruka struggled to keep his eyes on it. It finally stopped, and regarded him. Iruka felt a stab of regret, but he remembered what he'd been told. There was no Naruto left in the beast. Naruto had been devoured by the Kyuubi...

Iruka's heart suddenly clenched. If Naruto was gone, why was he calling for the boy? Why was the Kyuubi coming closer to a man that was calling for _Naruto?_ Why did they need him, _Iruka_, to call out the Kyuubi? Why did they need the first person Naruto had ever learned to trust? Unless...

Iruka looked up. He met the eyes of the creature, which neither moved towards him nor away. It looked at him, and the eyes were red. Around the pupil the eyes were an obscenely bright red, but the color faded as it traveled out, and on the very edges of the iris there was a ring of dull purple.

"Sssssenssseeeei?" the creature almost purred as it again began moving forward. Iruka' eyes widened, and he stepped back. The creature advanced more, its lips spread wide enough to reveal all its teeth. In seconds it would be close enough for to trigger the trap. In a few more steps...

Iruka's mouth opened and was instantly filled with a musky, bloody taste. This was a creature that had been terrorizing Konoha for months now. This was the Kyuubi who'd killed Iruka's parents. This was a mindless killing beast that _needed_ to be killed itself.

_**So why did it answer to Naruto's name?**_

There was a crackle of chakra. The creature that_ 'was not' _Naruto took a step forward. Iruka drew a deep breath and shouted: "Naruto! Move!"

The creature was instantly in action, leaping up and away. There was an explosion of chakra that sent Iruka flying backwards. He had a sensation of white everywhere for a few jarring seconds. Iruka hit the ground and slid through the crackling leaves. He heard a deafening noise, almost like a roar and almost like a scream. His clutched his head in his hands, and felt wet flow between his fingers.

The noise stopped suddenly, taking with it the overwhelming chakra and smell. For a moment Iruka was disoriented. He staggered to his feet and looked. The ground was covered in a fine ash, and Iruka could see the ANBU looking towards him. They were talking, but Iruka couldn't hear them. He just knew they were talking, and they were talking about him. He had just completely thrown the mission. He'd just allowed the Kyuubi to escape. Only...

It hadn't been just the Kyuubi. They'd _lied_ to him. They'd said Naruto was gone, devoured by the Kyuubi's demonic presence. They'd said it would be a service to Naruto to stop the Kyuubi from using his body. They'd said Naruto was gone. They'd _lied_to him! _They'd tried to make him __**kill**__ Naruto!_

The ANBU moved, but Iruka's hands were already falling into signs. He pulled chakra, and slammed all his anger into a jutsu he hadn't used in almost ten years. He'd purposely failed a mission and put fellow shinobi in danger. He was now attacking his fellow shinobi, but he didn't care. He didn't _care!_

They'd tried to make him kill Naruto. They'd lied to him.

Water washed violently through the clearing, tearing down trees and sweeping away everything in its path. The ANBU that dodged clung to the top branches of tree grimly, and waited for the water to subside. It did, but there was nothing to see but damp dead grass swept clean.

* * *

**A/N: Are you wondering what the heck's going on? Yeah, I was too after I wrote this. I'd intended to write a short, messy, bloody death fic 'cause I was upset, but Iruka and Naruto ran away with it...**

**Anyway, hope you enjoyed it, and please review!**


	2. Solitary Runner

_You're sick of feeling numb,  
__You're not the only one,  
__I'll take you by the hand,  
__And I'll show you a world that you can understand,  
__This life is filled with hurt._-Pain-Three Day's Grace

* * *

The tree trunks were scorched. There was a burnt circle of ground that smelled of wet ash. The ground was saturated, and the grass was trying to grow back green. It wouldn't manage it with the Kyuubi roaming about, but it would try. Grass never gave up.

Kakashi stood and looked at the hawk ANBU. "He what?"

The ANBU waved a hand towards the edge of the clearing, which was completely dry. "He threw the mission."

Kakashi's visible eyebrow went up. "He panicked, I suppose?"

The ANBU shook his head. "No, he walked out to the appointed spot and got the Kyuubi to come, like we thought he would, but right before the trap triggered he warned it." The ANBU growled.

"He warned the Kyuubi? This is the Umino Iruka whose parents were killed by the Kyuubi, right?" Kakashi pressed as he looked over the clearing. "How many did we lose?"

"Yes, the same, and as for casualties," The ANBU shrugged. "None. A few broken bones and one half drowned, but no one died."

"That's better than out other attempts," Kakashi mused. "Could the Kyuubi's chakra have influenced Iruka?"

The ANBU frowned. "If it had he would have stopped running by now, I'm sure."

"You're _still_ chasing him?" Kakashi fixed the ANBU with an incredulous look. "How many ANBU?"

"Three, but one came back after landing on a branch covered in caltrops," the hawk ANBU reported. "Iruka's reserves must be almost empty. The man hasn't been on a real mission for six years now, and he hasn't taken a mission higher than 'B' before. We'll catch him soon."

"Do you know why he hasn't been on a mission for so long?" Kakashi asked.

"No, do you?" The ANBU returned the question.

"He was considered unsuitable for them soon after he reached Chuunin, but he was allowed to teach at the Shinobi Academy. What would make a shinobi unfit for active duty, but still capable of teaching?" Kakashi hummed to himself. "An injury is out of the question, since he's avoiding ANBU.

The hawk ANBU grunted. "Or not. If it's an old injury it could be slow to affect him. We'll know soon enough when he's caught."

Kakashi looked at the burnt ground. "The Kyuubi didn't kill anyone? It didn't attack Iruka?"

"It didn't even feint towards him, and it disappeared the moment Iruka warned it about the trap," the ANBU was growling now.

"What did Iruka say to warn it?" Kakashi asked.

"Shouted: 'Naruto, move', and the Kyuubi got away, again." The ANBU followed Kakashi's gaze to the burnt ground, and a wind began to blow. It carried a musky scent.

* * *

Dead trees required a completely different amount of chakra. The trees he was running along weren't dead, but they were dormant. They repelled chakra rather then gently attracting it. It was easy to misjudge a step and slip.

Iruka couldn't afford a mistake like that. He'd lost the first ANBU by dumb luck and a quick hand, but the remaining two were wary. They were hanging back and not running close together. It would be impossible to get rid of both of them at once, but he had to get rid of them.

There was no turning back now. He could have stayed in the clearing with the ANBU and just said he'd lost his nerve. He could have said that the Kyuubi just looked so much like Naruto he panicked. He could have done any number of things and just been reprimanded, but what he had done had labeled him as a traitor. They would never accept him back now, and he didn't want to go back.

Iruka pushed off another tree branch, and leapt higher into the canopy. Without leaves travel by tree-top was easier, but it was also harder to hide. Iruka needed some way to get out of sight so he could set some sort of trap. Iruka's hands began forming signs as his mind began forming a plan. Iruka hadn't been Konoha's number one prankster for nothing.

Two clones appeared. One jumped off to the left behind a tree, and the second stopped and tried to tackle the closest ANBU. It missed, but the dodging ANBU was immediately slapped in the chest with a branch as thick as Iruka's thigh. The ANBU flew backwards and fell. The remaining ANBU threw a handful of kunai at Iruka, two of which skimmed his left arm and the third stuck right above his elbow.

Iruka threw a kunai blindly back as he forced chakra back into his legs and feet. His muscles were all burning, and he had a stitch in his side. He'd been running for what had to be two hours. He couldn't, and wasn't, counting on the ANBU being tired. Iruka mentally blessed all the students he'd had to chase down over the years. Without them he would have collapsed long ago.

Iruka was distantly aware that his clone was keeping pace with the ANBU a few feet behind and to the left of them. Iruka's arm, where he'd been hit with the ANBU's kunai, was becoming numb. Poison was something Iruka hadn't been counting on. It was spreading slowly, but the faster his heart beat the faster the poison would spread. He didn't have long before his arm would he useless.

_'So act now.' _Iruka thought to himself. He jumped down a few branches, and made an only half controlled descent to the forest floor. His arm was numbing, he was low on chakra, and he was tired. He wouldn't survive a long battle. He had to finish it quickly.

Iruka whipped around, and was faced with a veritable cloud of kunai and shuriken. He jumped back, but several hit his legs. He dodged the ANBU's punch aimed at his stomach, and jerked three of the more firmly lodged shuriken out of his calf. He threw them at the ANBU, who deflected them easily.

The ANBU paused for a moment, and its masked face looked at Iruka. The ANBU were elite. Everyone, especially shinobi, knew the ANBU were Konoha's best. Shinobi children looked at the ANBU with awe, and knew, while the ANBU were dangerous, they would never be hurt by one because they were Konoha's future. Iruka had thought that too when he was a child.

Iruka blocked a kicked aimed at his head, and caught a punch thrown at his stomach. A kunai slashed across his shoulder, but he managed to slam his own kunai into the ANBU's arm. It wasn't a disabling hit, but it would slow the ANBU down a little. Iruka threw a double handful of kunai at the ANBU, and watched it dodge.

The ANBU blocked a punch aimed at him, and nearly wrenched Iruka's arm out of socket. Iruka rolled with the pull and landed hard on his back. He pulled the ANBU forward, and the ANBU turned the motion into a somersault over Iruka. Iruka jerked his arm free and jumped to his feet. The ANBU landed awkwardly.

Iruka's remaining clone suddenly dropped down from a nearby tree, straight for the ANBU. Iruka jumped backwards twice. The ANBU turned to face the apparently unarmed clone and moved back slowly, out from under the clone's drop. The movement didn't help him much. The clone, gifted with an explosive tag at its birth, exploded before it hit the ground and sent the ANBU flying.

Iruka stood still for a moment, and then limped over to where the ANBU lay. The ANBU wasn't dead, but he was unconscious. Iruka stepped back from the ANBU, and began pulled kunai and shuriken from his body. Only the first batch had been poisoned, but his arm was now totally numb, and the poison was still spreading.

Iruka took a moment to gather up some stray shuriken and kunai. He had a feeling if he stopped moving he wouldn't be able to move again. Iruka gingerly limped away from the ANBU. He was covered in tiny cuts and puncture wounds. The worst wounds he had were the gash on his shoulder and the poisoned stab wound above his elbow. He only had weak generic antidote to try to treat the poison with, but maybe it would.

Maybe.

* * *

Asuma looked at Kakashi, who was sitting serenely in the clearing. His eye was closed, and his posture looked utterly relaxed. Asuma refrained form moving. If he moved too quickly he'd end up with a kunai in an uncomfortable place. Kakashi only _looked_ relaxed. He was really keyed up. Asuma had known the man long enough to read him well.

Asuma gently cleared his throat and shifted his stance against one of the large trees. The base of the tree was scarred with many claw marks, and Asuma was fairly confident he knew what had made those marks. This part of the woods smelled especially strong of the Kyuubi. The clinging order was nauseating.

Kakashi's shoulders twitched, and he slowly stood up. Three different nin-dogs ran into the clearing, and Kakashi walked forward to meet them. Asuma wished he had a cigarette, and followed Kakashi. He kept looking up into the trees, wary of the Kyuubi. The thing was amazingly stealthy for a creature that radiated a rancid stench and enough chakra for ten shinobi.

Kakashi's dogs disappeared in a puff of smoke, and Kakashi sighed lightly.

"No luck, huh?" Asuma guessed.

"The Kyuubi's scent over powers any other smell after a while, and I think he walked down a stream for a bit. I suppose he could have fallen in and drowned," Kakashi mused. He didn't seem very bothered by the day's events.

"Pretty amazing that a Chuunin got away from three ANBU," Asuma observed.

"They under-estimated him, and I suppose he just had a little luck on his side," Kakashi said, and he voiced what Asuma was thinking as well. There was no way a Chuunin was competent enough to take down three ANBU with his skill alone.

"How are the ANBU doing?" Kakashi asked.

"Well, one got away with holes all in his feet, the second has a cracked sternum and a broken ankle, and the third has first degree burns on his arms and legs and a concussion," Asuma shrugged. "Other than that they're fine. They might die of shame when the word gets out they were beaten by a Chuunin, however."

"I hope they learn from this." Kakashi looked around the dead trees and his shoulders gave a small shrug. "There's nothing more we can do here." With that the shinobi jumped up the nearest tree and launched himself away into the branches. Asuma followed close behind him.

It didn't really matter that the Chuunin had gotten away. Tomorrow they would catch him.

* * *

By the night fell Iruka's left arm was not numb, but it ached. His right shoulder, both cut and strained, refused to move much. His legs ached from overuse, and he was dangerously low on chakra. He'd used the last bit he dared to climb up an almost branchless tree to sleep in a large hollow. He'd had to chase several birds out of it, but he couldn't find anywhere else to rest.

Iruka had washed his wounds and bandaged them with the meager supplies he'd brought with him. He hadn't expected to do anything this morning but draw out the Kyuubi and he hadn't needed much for that. He carried bandages, an all purpose antidote (which was weak but worked well on small things), and wound salve with him at all times from habit. Children were constantly swallowing things they shouldn't, or cutting themselves on things they shouldn't be able to cut themselves on, and Iruka found it easier to deal with the injury himself rather than send the child to the school nurse.

Iruka would have chuckled if he weren't worried some one would hear him. The skills and habits he had learned from teaching for the past six years were the ones that had kept him alive so long. He knew standard procedure better than most shinobi on active duty did. He knew more about the individual clans than many shinobi outside the clans did. He knew how they would go about finding him. He knew.

Iruka closed his eyes but had to open them again. Every time he closed his eyes he saw the Kyuubi. No, it was Naruto too. Somewhere inside that changed body Naruto was still alive. He hadn't been completely crushed by the Kyuubi's presence yet, and that meant there was a chance to get Naruto back.

The people in charge, the Grand Council, knew that. That was why Iruka had been selected to lure the Kyuubi-Naruto into a trap to kill it. It was true that over the past six months the Kyuubi had been wreaking havoc in Konoha, though the creature mostly stayed in the woods right outside Konoha. Anyone who entered the Kyuubi's woods was attacked and most had died.

Iruka leaned his head back against the tree and winced. Naruto was still alive, and it was possible to get him back. No one else seemed to care. Getting rid of the Kyuubi was more important to them than getting Naruto back. No one had ever been truly comfortable with the Kyuubi's prison running loose in Konoha, and now they had a chance to get rid of him and a good reason to do it.

Naruto had been an outcast from the day of his birth. No one had loved him, or even been kind to him. Iruka, at least, had been loved by his parents, until they had died fighting the Kyuubi. Naruto had had no one. He'd saved Konoha by use of his infant body and, while receiving no thanks for his first task, had decided to become a shinobi. Naruto had decided to dedicate his _life_ to preserving a village that had done nothing but condemn and ridicule him from birth, and now they were trying to kill him.

The thought made Iruka's blood boil. They could try, but Iruka wasn't going to let them kill Naruto just to get rid of the Kyuubi. He was still disgusted and enraged that they had tried to _use_ him and whatever consciousness Naruto had left to kill Naruto and the Kyuubi. There had to be another way.

_'But this way is easier for them.'_ Iruka thought bitterly as his body began relaxing. He wasn't going to let Naruto get killed. He'd find away to get the boy back in control of his body, or get rid of the Kyuubi with out killing him. He closed his eyes, again seeing the Kyuubi-Naruto and remembered the blood stained claws.

But..what if Naruto didn't want to come back after what the Kyuubi had done? Iruka remembered at least ten shinobi had been killed by the Kyuubi, but he hadn't paid much attention after the first few deaths. He hadn't wanted to know. Would Naruto even want to live after his body had been used to kill so many shinobi of Konoha? Would he blame himself for the Kyuubi's appearance? Would killing Naruto now be doing the boy a favor?

Iruka's whole body shuddered at the thought of killing Naruto. He'd learned long ago life wasn't fair, but that didn't mean he liked it. Maybe his reasoning was selfish and biased, but he didn't want to kill Naruto. Iruka knew Naruto couldn't let the Kyuubi out on purpose, and he wasn't even sure Naruto, with his poor chakra control and inability to understand complex jutsu, would know how to tamper with the seal on his belly. However the Kyuubi had gotten out Naruto wasn't at fault.

Iruka knew about necessary sacrifice. He knew, for the sake of Konoha, the Kyuubi had to be eliminated before it killed more people. So far the Kyuubi was content to stay in its patch of dead trees, but that could change. He understood the reasoning that even if Naruto was still alive the Kyuubi's vessel needed to be killed, but that didn't mean he agreed with it. There was a possibility that killing Naruto's body would release the Kyuubi completely. That would make an even bigger mess than the one they already had.

Iruka shifted a bit and rubbed a cramp out of his calf. There was nowhere for him to go but forward. He'd chosen Naruto over Konoha. Someone, he felt, needed to be on the boy's side for once. Iruka would get Naruto back, no matter what. If the boy wanted to die he could make that decision himself. Iruka wasn't going to decide if Naruto should or wanted to die. He couldn't.

Iruka leaned his head against the hard bark and half closed his eyes. His muscles, especially his leg muscles, burned, and he knew he'd be stiff in the morning. He would have to move to a different hiding spot sometime in the night, but for now he needed rest. Tomorrow he was certain he'd be chased again. He was sure he'd only gotten away today because the ANBU had under-estimated him. Tomorrow would be harder. Iruka was wounded, and one night of fitful sleep wouldn't restore even half his chakra.

Some creature in the night screamed, and Iruka tensed. His abused body screamed in protest, and he slowly relaxed. He let his eyes drift further closed, and let the image of the Kyuubi-Naruto burn into his mind. That was what he had to stop. That was what he had to save. That was what he had to keep all the shinobi of Konoha from killing while keeping himself alive too.

Tomorrow would be a day born in Hell.

* * *

**A/N:And here Samurai101 tries to write action scenes and just confuses everyone. Here, also, Iruka angsts and thinks. The prologue didn't stand well alone, and needed the first chapter to prop itself up with.**

**Thanks to those who reviewed the prologue, and, if you liked or hated this, please review and tell me.**

**Jaa ne.**


	3. Rising Underdog

_If you feel so filthy,  
__So dirty, so screwed up,  
__If you feel so walked on,  
__So painful, so ticked off-_Riot-Three Day's Grace

* * *

Iruka ate raw fish for breakfast, and hoped the Kyuubi's chakra hadn't poisoned the fish (it was said to be badly effecting some of the other forest animals). The fish had looked all right, and tasted fine (for raw fish). He was very pleased to find he was still a good bare-handed fisher.

For a man who was probably eating his last meal Iruka felt rather happy. He felt better than he had in a long time, even with all his injuries throbbing and burning when he moved. His chakra was still low, and he would be chased today. He was likely to be dead or, much less likely, captured by noon, but he was now humming a rather cheerful child's song.

It seemed absurd to feel cheerful given the circumstances, but Iruka had never claimed to be a very sane individual. He sat with his bare feet in the shallow creek that had supplied his breakfast, and listened to the almost silent forest. Most of the birds had fled the forest on the Kyuubi's arrival, and there was a lack of other creatures as well. The stream, however, had a healthy supply of fish.

Of course, the Kyuubi could have been eating the other creatures of the forest. That would make a lot of sense. It wouldn't explain why there were so many fish, though. Certainly the Kyuubi could catch fish. Naruto could even catch fish bare handed, of course Iruka had spent the better part of two days teaching the boy how.

Iruka tensed as he heard something rustle in the leaves. He slowly relaxed and concentrated on the noise. Something was shuffling towards him. It didn't sound like someone trying to sneak up on him, but he still slowly reached for a kunai under the guise of tugging his flak jacket straight. He whipped around, gathering himself up into a ready position.

The rabbit flicked it ears up and bounced rapidly away into the forest. Iruka smiled wryly as he watched it leave. He replaced his kunai and stood up, pulling his shoes back on. He looked around the forest. Nothing else was stirring, and the air still smelled faintly of the Kyuubi.

Iruka sighed. He needed a plan. A plan that extended past 'don't get killed and save Naruto' would be good. While those were good goals he needed a plan to get to them. His mother had always been fond of saying one had to go back to the cookie jar to find out who ate all the cookies. Applied to Iruka's situation it meant he needed to go back to where the Kyuubi had been released. That meant going back to Konoha.

"Which would be much easier if you hadn't blown up yesterday," Iruka grumbled to himself. He didn't regret his actions yesterday, however. He'd been lied to, and he didn't think he could trust Konoha anymore. Maybe if Sandaime was still alive he would have reacted differently. If Sandaime was still alive Iruka had the feeling everything about the mission would have been explained to him. If Sandaime was still alive maybe...

"There is no use crying over spilt blood," Iruka muttered softly his mother's favorite saying, and grinned. His mother's sayings were very fresh in his mind today. Perhaps the fact he had shown off the temper he'd inherited from her had something to do with it. That wasn't to say his father hadn't possessed a temper, but Iruka's mother had been far more volatile than her husband had ever been.

Iruka sat back down with his back against a tree. There was no way he could get into Konoha as he was, unless he was captured. Iruka quickly discarded the idea of willingly being captured. He'd probably get killed as a traitor before he had a chance to do anything.

He needed to heal and replenish his chakra before he even tried to infiltrate Konoha. His scar would be a big problem to hide. Iruka didn't want to risk a genjutsu to hide the scar. There were too many shinobi who could easily see through genjutsu. He'd have to sneak in without being seen or completely disguise his appearance by physical means. Given that he didn't have anything to disguise himself with, he'd have to sneak in without being seen, but, before he did any of that, he needed to survive long enough to heal without getting himself beaten up again or using up all his chakra.

Iruka had the sinking suspicion he wasn't going to live out the week.

* * *

Asuma and Kurenai started spending more time together when they got Genin teams. Kurenai found somehow, even though Asuma didn't really have a team anymore, they were still spending time together. Now, as the morning settled into afternoon, they sat watching Asuma's and Kurenai's old teams alternately sparring and goofing off.

"They still haven't caught the Chuunin?" Kurenai asked as she watched Shino flip Kiba through the air. The Aburame was immediately attacked by Akamaru.

Asuma breathed out a long plume of smoke. "Nope, Kakashi's dogs lost the scent because of the Kyuubi's smell, and he avoided the ANBU. There's a Chuunin team out looking for him now."

"If he avoided ANBU, why send some Chuunin after him?" Kurenai asked.

"He's wounded, low on chakra, and tired. He probably hasn't eaten since he left Konoha yesterday, and there's a chance he might just give up." Asuma rolled his eyes a little. "I think he's snapped, and if that's the case he _won't_ be reasonable at all."

Kurenai looked over to Asuma. "He was teaching the future shinobi of Konoha. He had to be trusted and level headed."

"But not trusted enough to be out running missions, huh? He was lucky yesterday, but he wasn't made a teacher because he couldn't fight. There was another reason, and I want to know what it was." Asuma flicked ash off his cigarette. "Have you ever run into this Umino before?"

"I spoke with him when I first got my cell. He seemed nice enough back then," Kurenai said. "I think that's the only time we ever spoke to each other, but I do remember his outburst when we nominated our cells for the Chuunin exam."

Asuma grunted. "Right, I'd forgotten about that. Hayate said something after it happened. I think it was Kakashi was lucky not to have a broken nose, or maybe he meant Iruka was lucky not to have a broken nose."

"If he were still alive we might ask him," Kurenai sighed. "We've lost too many shinobi, Asuma." Kurenai looked back to the young ones, who had broken off into pairs and were sparring with amazing ferocity. Even Shikamaru was putting out obvious effort against Kiba. Kurenai felt slightly nostalgic.

Asuma's face said he was following her line of thought. "Kurenai, do you feel like you're throwing them to the wolves?"

Kurenai nodded. "But we'll have to trust them to watch out for trouble. If they stay on the borders of the forest then they're less likely to be attacked." She didn't sound happy, but Asuma wasn't happy either. He didn't like that their former cells were being used as border patrols on a forest containing a creature that could easily kill a team of ANBU. If it attacked them they wouldn't have a chance. That was probably the reason the Genin were being posted there. If the Kyuubi could kill ANBU then Konoha might as well throw less useful shinobi at it.

Asuma stubbed out his cigarette, and Kurenai shook her bangs out of her face. The sparring was winding down. Shikamaru looked up at them, and both Jounin could see the frown on his face. Asuma waved a hand at him, but the young Chuunin's frown just deepened. Asuma knew Shikamaru had figured out the most likely reason he and his year mates were being posted on the forests borders. Shikamaru seemed to like the idea even worse than Asuma and Kurenai did.

A wild punch from Ino smashed into Shikamaru's cheek, and something very close to a brawl erupted on the green field. Kurenai shook her head, Asuma smiled, and the two jumped forward to break up the fight.

* * *

Iruka had avoided all six Chuunin until mid afternoon, and then he'd been seen. He'd managed to nick a smoke bomb off one to make a fast get away, but he was in trouble. This was worse than yesterday. He had less than half his chakra back, and his left arm was slow to react.

If Iruka could separate the Chuunin he would have a chance, and the best way to do that was...

Two clones popped into existence with Iruka to their left. The three Irukas leapt off in different directions. Iruka was dimly aware of his clones running away. He was using the smallest amount of chakra he could to jump through the trees, making small quick leaps from branch to branch. He had two of the Chuunin after him, which, Iruka hoped, meant they had split up equally to chase him.

Iruka hit a branch and flipped around. He jumped back towards the Chuunin and hit one in the solar plexus. The Chuunin doubled over Iruka's fist. Iruka landed neatly landed on a branch several feet below, and watched the uninjured Chuunin, who had a scar across his neck, grab his comrade before he hit the ground. Iruka leapt back towards the scarred Chuunin.

The scarred Chuunin blocked the kick aimed at his stomach. Iruka dodged a punch aimed at his head, and tried to sweep the Chuunin's legs out from under him. The Chuunin dodged and threw handful of shuriken at Iruka. Iruka rolled under them and slammed into the scarred Chuunin's legs. The Chuunin fell. Iruka jumped to his feet and slammed a hand into the back of the scarred Chuunin's head. The scarred Chuunin dropped limp onto the branch.

Iruka grunted as three kunai hit his left arm. The Chuunin he'd hit first was now recovering. Iruka jumped back, tripped over the scarred Chuunin, and fell. He landed hard on a branch nearly three feet down, and quickly rolled to his feet. Three shuriken skimmed his right leg and lodged firmly in tree. The Chuunin followed not three seconds later, and landed almost on top of an exploding tag.

Iruka dropped to the forest floor and ran. He didn't know how much damage the tag had done, but he wasn't sticking around to find out. One of his clones was already gone, and the second wouldn't last much longer. He'd soon have the other four Chuunin after him.

Iruka pulled the kunai out of his arm as he ran. Blood ran freely from the cuts. Iruka finally stopped when the blood dripped onto his fingers and tore off some cloth from his sleeve to bandage the cuts. The last thing he needed to do was leave a blood trail.

He heard something speeding along through the canopy. Iruka quickly jumped up the nearest tree. He did not want to be caught on the ground while the other shinobi were in the trees. He leapt onto a large branch and almost ran into the second pair of Chuunin.

Iruka acted on instinct and, from his frog-like crouch, kicked the closest Chuunin in the ankle. He heard something crunch, and the Chuunin swore as he doubled over. Iruka rose and hit the Chuunin's nose with his elbow. There was another crunching noise.

Iruka swung around the first Chuunin and headed towards the second Chuunin. This one was pale-faced and shocked. Iruka dashed across the branch towards him. He aimed a punch at the Chuunin's gut, only to throw himself to the side and leap to another tree branch when he recognized the Chuunin.

"Shinji," Iruka almost yelped. Shinji had been one of Iruka's first students. Shinji drew a kunai and prepared to throw it with a shaking hand. Had he been told that the rogue Chuunin he was to chase down was his former _sensei_?

Iruka crouched a little. He remembered Shinji. As a student the boy had always had a weak guard on his left side. If he still did Iruka would have an easy time beating him. He also remembered Shinji had amazing accuracy with anything thrown. If Iruka wanted to beat his former student he'd need to get in close and stay that way.

"Shinji-kun, do you think you can beat me?" Iruka asked slowly as he began inching forward.

Shinij froze, and for a moment Iruka almost expected him to drop his kunai. Shinji, his eyes still wide, threw the kunai. It hit Iruka square in his right shoulder. Iruka gasped, and jumped forward. He almost tackled Shinji to the tree branch and pinned the younger Chuunin to the tree with a kunai thrust through his flak vest.

Iruka leapt higher into the canopy and set off running again. He now knew one thing. He couldn't fight his former students. He was the one who'd taught them, and, if he thought back, he remembered all the ones who'd become Genin. He remembered the little faults they had and what they were good at, but he couldn't use that knowledge against them. He couldn't.

Iruka was getting down to the dregs of his reserves. He hadn't run a mission in six years. For a shinobi he was badly out of shape. He was injured, and three of the Chuunin chasing him were uninjured. He could hope the other three were out of commission, but he couldn't count on it.

Iruka leapt again and was met with a shower of kunai and shuriken. He threw up his hands to protect himself and missed the branch he'd been aiming for. He fell. Iruka thought his heart stopped while he dropped. He was falling fast, and if he hit the ground he'd be dead.

Iruka's right arm caught onto a branch and his heart thudded back into motion. He heard and felt a pop in his right shoulder before his hand slipped off the branch and he fell the last few feet. He hit water instead of ground, and barely managed to avoid getting a mouthful of water. He kicked himself down, away from the surface, and looked up through the mostly clear water.

Ripples danced above him, but he could see no one. He slowly swam backwards, struggling to go smoothly while his right arm no longer responded. The water stung the deeper cuts on his arm and a cut on his forehead Iruka hadn't been aware of. Iruka's back hit a rock, which turned out to be part of a bank. He used the rock to help pop his shoulder back into place, trying hard to not gasp as the pain flared and died. He pulled himself on top of the water using the same rock.

Iruka's appearance on the water was met with another shower of kunai. Iruka dodged, rolling across the water's surface. He needed to get off the water and onto firm ground where he could conserve chakra. Another shower of kunai sent him farther out onto the water.

A Chuunin dropped down from the trees, and set out across the water towards Iruka. Iruka recognized him as he dashed across the water, but Iruka hadn't fought him yet, meaning the man was uninjured. Iruka jumped back.

The Chuunin, Kisuke, was on him in seconds. Iruka struggled to block the flurry of blows. His feet kept sinking into the water, though walking on water had been one of the first things he'd ever been taught. Iruka received a glancing blow to his temple, which sent him staggering and made his head spin. Kisuke didn't let up. Iruka received a blow to his right shoulder, stomach, and left leg.

Iruka scrambled away, his feet sinking farther into the water. One more shinobi, a kunochi, had dropped onto the surface of the water, but she was hanging back. Iruka barely dodged another blow to his head. His hands were desperately forming signs. He wasn't sure what jutsu he was trying to do, but he had to do _something._

Iruka jumped back from Kisuke, and the water underneath them lurched. Iruka's hands were clumsily working their way through signs Iruka only half remembered. His father's voice was talking calmly in his mind, but Iruka couldn't concentrate on the words. The water rippled again, and Iruka heard a roaring in his ears.

The water in front of Iruka suddenly leapt to life. It reared up suddenly, blocking the two other Chuunin from Iruka's sight. Iruka's hands slipped into one more seal, and the wall of water crashed down. For a moment he was blinded by the spray and deafened by the sound of the crashing water, then there was silence and no more shinobi.

Iruka floundered his way to the shore. He dragged himself out of the water, and managed to make it five steps before he collapsed. Blood was streaming into his eyes from the cut on his forehead, his entire body felt covered in small cuts and gashes, but he was still alive. He couldn't move, but he was alive. For now.

Iruka struggled to stand, but he only managed to roll over a few times. His legs were past the point where 'burning' could describe how they felt. His heart was pounding hard, and his lungs burning. His arms were useless. If any of the Chuunin found him now he was...

"Dead."

"Good, if anyone saw us--"

"Hey, there's the one they were chasing. Why would Konoha shinobi be chasing him? He's Konoha too, isn't he?"

"Well the _hitai-ate _says so, but that doesn't mean he really is."

"Heh, think someone else is after it too?"

"That's doubtful."

Iruka opened his eyes a slit and saw the legs of two people standing near him. He didn't recognize their voices. One sounded familiar, but one definitely wasn't. One voice, the familiar one, had a Konoha accent, and the other didn't. The accent was...

"It's still alive," the unfamiliar voice said as it drew closer. "Maybe we should--"

Iruka, on adrenaline alone, whipped his legs up and caught a leg. He jerked with one of his legs, pushed with the other and received a very satisfying 'crack' for his efforts. There was a 'thump' and a bout of swearing that finally identified the voice's accent. He was from Kirigakurage.

Something sharp was suddenly pressed against Iruka's neck. "If you want to live you'd best not move again and answer my questions." The familiar voice was speaking. "Now, are you really from Konoha?" Iruka opened his eyes and met a pair of narrowed red ones.

Iruka coughed and felt a wry smile break out on his face. "You should know the answer to that without asking me, Itachi. You should probably put your friend's knee back in joint before it swells..." The red eyes narrowed, and Iruka's world went black.

* * *

**A/N:Didn't see that coming, now did ya? **

**Where I come from catching fish bare handed is called 'noodling', but The thought of Iruka' noodling' made me laugh too much, and I wasn't sure anyone else would now what 'noodling' was. So yeah.**

**Gee, five pages seems long when you have to type it, but it makes for a short read. Oh well. ****Thanks to all the lovely people who've reviewed so far, and please continue to do so! **

**Jaa ne**


	4. Union of Traitors

_Well bless my soul ,  
You're a lonely soul,  
And you won't let go,  
Of anything you hold_.-**Say(All I Need)-**OneRepublic

* * *

The first thing Iruka became aware of was the full body ache that pulsed in time with his heart-beat; the second thing was that he was tied up very tightly and leaning against a tree. His arms were tied to his sides down to his elbows, and his wrists were tied behind his back to the opposite elbow. His legs were tied straight in front of him at his knees to ankles, but he wasn't blindfolded or gagged. Iruka blearily opened his eyes and squinted.

"Ah, you're awake," someone cackled. Something was forced between Iruka's lips and a hot liquid slid down his throat. Iruka spluttered and coughed. He turned his head, and nearly fell over in shock when he saw the man sitting next to him.

The blue-faced fish-man bared his teeth at Iruka. "Is that any way to treat the person who saved you?"

"Sorry," Iruka croaked. He cleared his throat and continued. "To what do I owe the honor of being saved and tied to a tree, _Same_-_san_?"

The fish-man, who spoke with a Kirigakurage accent, grinned widely. His teeth were alarming. "'_Same_-_san_,' I like that."

"You're here to answer our questions." Itachi dropped down from the trees. "I'll assume you are intelligent enough to know what will happen if you refuse to answer our questions. Now, who are you, and are you really a Leaf shinobi?"

Iruka shifted and tried to sit up straighter. He felt very foggy. "I'd say that's a stupid question, but _Same-san_ has a very nasty looking kunai in his hand." Iruka coughed. "I am, er, was a Leaf shinobi, and you should know that. We were on a Genin team together."

Itachi's eyes narrowed, and the fish-man gave Iruka a speculative look. "That would be how he knew your name."

Itachi casually flipped a kunai into his hand, and crouched down by Iruka. "If we were on a Genin team together--"

"We were. It was you, me, Gekkou Hayate, and Genma-_sensei_," Iruka said. "You know, you look a lot better with hair."

Itachi twitched and the fish-man snorted. Itachi gave Iruka a look that said he finally knew who Iruka was, and he wasn't very pleased about it. "Why were _you_ being chased by Leaf shinobi?"

"It's a long complicated story." Iruka felt like his words were all slurring together. His mind felt limp--almost as if he were drunk or poisoned. "What are you doing here with _Same-san_?"

"We have all day, if that is how long your story will take, _Oikawa_-_chan_." The fish-man grinned, displaying an alarming set of teeth.

"They were chasing me because I wouldn't help them kill Naruto." Iruka felt himself slipping further down the tree.

Itachi and the fish-man traded glances. Itachi swung his kunai in a slow circle. "Naruto, ne? He's the Kyuubi's prison, right?"

"Vessel's a better word now, but that's him," Iruka mumbled. He could feel himself drooling. "The Kyuubi got loose, somehow. I don't think—I _know_ it wasn't Naruto's fault. There's no way he could mess up Yondaime's seal. They want to kill Naruto and hope that gets rid of the Kyuubi, but Naruto's still alive. The Kyuubi had control, but Naruto's still in there.

"I can't let them kill him. I _can't_."

There was silence, and Iruka wished he could wipe away the dribble of spit traveling down his chin. Why was he drooling? He hadn't drooled since he'd broken his jaw years ago.

"You think Naruto could be put back in control of his body?" Itachi asked with a casual tone Iruka remembered all to well. The lazy 'I-am-not-interested' tone meant Itachi was paying close attention.

"Why not? Naruto's still alive somewhere in his body, and that means he could gain control again if the Kyuubi was suppressed enough, I think." Iruka felt like he was babbling.

"The kid would have to be pretty persistent to co-exist with the Kyuubi in its current state," the fish-man mused.

Iruka snorted. "Naruto's nothing if not persistent. He never gives up. Never."

Itachi and fish-man traded a look again, and Iruka got the feeling the two were communicating via telepathy, or maybe with hand signs. Iruka tried to turn his head and look at their hands, but his head just flopped forward onto his chest.

The fish-man pulled Iruka's head up with a casual roughness that let Iruka feel the power of the fish-man's grip. "You've been rather helpful, _Oikawa_-_chan_, but why didn't you go back to Konoha and tell them Naruto was still co-existing with the Kyuubi?"

" 'Cause they already knew," Iruka growled. "That's why they wanted me to lure him out. The Kyuubi wouldn't come to me, but Naruto would. Naruto trusts me, and they were going to..." Iruka felt light headed with anger. "They _lied_ to me and said Naruto was gone. They almost tricked me into-into--"

There wasn't a word strong enough for what they'd almost made him do. He'd nearly betrayed Naruto's trust in him. Naruto trusted him like a brother--a parent. If Iruka had betrayed that trust...

"So Naruto trusts you and will do what you say?" Itachi pressed.

"He came when I called and left when I told him to." Iruka _was_ slurring his words now. "Kyuubi didn't eat me on sight." Itachi and the fish-man looked at each-other again. Iruka knew the only thing keeping his head up was the fish-man's hold on his hair.

"You," Iruka began as he looked at Itachi, "drugged me. You drugged me with truth serum."

Itachi's lips twitched. "My apologies, but you've been very helpful, Iruka. Now, however, you are going to rest. Kisame, let his head down." The fish-man dropped Iruka's head, and Iruka's chin fell to his chest. It was harder to breathe that way, but Iruka was falling unconscious again, making it hard to worry about breathing.

* * *

When Iruka woke up again he was unbound, but he ached all over. Nothing seemed to be broken, which was amazing. Iruka slowly opened his eyes, and found the fish-man sitting across from him with an enormous sword propped beside him. The fish-man grinned.

"Awake again, eh, _Oikawa­-chan_? Have any good dreams?" The fish-man asked.

"None," Iruka replied as he slowly sat up. His hair was down, and it was falling into his face. He slowly raised his left hand to push his hair behind his ear. He was pleased to find his left arm was almost back to normal.

Iruka was aware he'd been stripped of what few weapons he'd had left, and he was a sorry collection of bruises and cuts. He was at the fish-man and Itachi's mercy. He gave the fish-man a measuring look. "Since you haven't eaten me yet, _Same_-_san_, should I assume I'm still useful?"

"That depends on what you do," the fish-man replied. "I would have eaten you yesterday, but Itachi thinks you'll be useful. Can you still be useful, _Oikawa_-_chan_?"

"If it will keep me alive I'll try to be," Iruka countered as he brushed more hair back from his face. "How does Itachi think I can be helpful?" The fish-man shrugged.

"That depends on if you're willing to work with us or not," Itachi said as he once again dropped down from the trees. "We seem to have a common goal, and we'll both do better if we work together."

"We have a common goal?" Iruka felt his eyebrows rising toward his hairline. It hurt. "And what is that?"

"Putting Naruto back in control of his body." Itachi sat down gracefully and looked Iruka in the eyes. Itachi's eyes were, thankfully, a normal dark grey.

Iruka frowned. "That's my goal, but why is it yours? Shouldn't you, perhaps, be trying to release the Kyuubi or something like that?"

Itachi and Kisame traded glances before Itachi spoke again. "No, we aren't. Our main goal is something different from yours, but we want Naruto back in control of his body instead of the Kyuubi. It will make our job easier in the long run."

Iruka looked at his former teammate and then to the fish-man. If he refused he would likely be killed or tied up. Iruka knew he didn't stand a chance against Itachi as he was now, and he could bet on fish-man being just as strong as Itachi.

"How long would you last on your own, _Oikawa_-_chan_?" the fish-man asked with a predatory grin. "You were in pretty bad shape when he found you."

That was true, and Iruka knew he'd need a few days to get back up to par. His chakra was still dangerously low, and he was covered in wounds--minor wounds, but wounds. The obvious thing to do was accept, but could he trust them? Did he have a choice? Itachi had killed his entire clan, and he was _not_ offering an alliance, however temporary, for old time's sake. He and Iruka had been indifferent to each-other at best while they were Genin together and fallen out of touch right after returning to Konoha from the Chuunin exam.

Itachi watched Iruka without blinking, and the fish-man looked ready to bite him. Iruka took a breath and rubbed the scar across his face idly. They had tended to his wounds and kept him alive. They had also drugged him with truth serum.

"I don't have much of a choice, do I?" Iruka propped his chin in his hand and tried to look relaxed.

"Oh, you do," Itachi replied lightly.

"I don't have fair choice, I mean. It's either working with you or having _Same_-_san_ make a stir fry with my major organs," Iruka countered. The fish-man laughed.

Itachi sent the fish-man a quelling glance. "Then you'll work with us?"

Iruka wished he could keep an eye on both shinobi at once. "How do I know I can trust you?"

The fish-man snorted. " 'Cause we need you for current information about Konoha, and the Kyuubi seems to like you. If there's a man-eating beast on the loose it's best to be on its side."

The fish-man meant as long as Iruka was useful he could trust them. That was lovely. "How do you know you can trust me?"

"You're in a desperate position, and Konoha is never going to take you back. You'll be dead in a matter of days if you don't have some help, and, as long as we don't try to kill Naruto, you're not likely to betray us," Itachi explained calmly. He cast Iruka a half-lidded look. "Exactly how long have you been chafing under the restraints Konoha put you under?"

"That's not why I left!" Iruka snapped. He felt himself bristle and wondered if Itachi wasn't partially right.

"You left because you feel they betrayed you first, even though it was for the 'greater good' of Konoha, ne?" Itachi sat calmly in his crouch and watched Iruka. Iruka felt his fingers twitch and wished he had a kunai in his hand. He felt naked, trapped, and vulnerable. No shinobi liked those feelings.

Iruka let out a slow breath. "All right, I accept your offer. We'll work together, for now."

The fish-man grinned and Itachi nodded. "Good, and my partner is Kisame."

"A fitting name, _Same_-_san_." Iruka grinned. "Umino Iruka, and I'm now at your service, I suppose."

"I still think we should have used you for stir fry. I haven't had a decent one in months," Kisame grumbled in a good natured way, and for some reason that comment relaxed Iruka instead of making him nervous.

* * *

Kisame could tell Itachi was thinking. His face was blank, and his eyes were half lidded. He looked ready to fall asleep, but he was actually deep in thought. He was probably dragging up every tiny thing he'd ever heard or observed about Umino Iruka. Itachi's brain was like a library, and it was extensive. Itachi forgot nothing.

Umino Iruka was asleep. His wounds, nearly exhausted chakra, and the stress of the past two days had sent the Chuunin into a death-like sleep. Of course, the drugs Itachi had flavored the Chuunin's food with were probably helping. The drugs had been purely medicinal and beneficial, but no shinobi liked to sleep drugged. Itachi had administered the drugs without consulting the Chuunin to prevent a useless argument.

"Were you bluffing earlier, or do you really think we can trust him?" Kisame asked his partner.

It took a while for Itachi to answer. "Yes, we can. He was a little idiotic but honest. Unless he's had a drastic change of character, his reasons make sense, and if he's still a teacher he probably taught the Kyuubi's vessel."

"He's a teacher?" Kisame looked at the Chuunin. "He's avoided ANBU and Chuunin for two days and he's just a teacher at Konoha's Academy?"

Itachi looked vague. "It had something to do with the fact he incapacitated a Hyuuga our first day back in Konoha after the Chuunin Exam, and not his incompetence. Our Jounin instructor took us out to drink to celebrate, and as a result Iruka was permanently stuck as a Chuunin and made a teacher. I didn't see or hear much of him after that."

"So am I going to be dealing with two of Konoha's rogue prodigies?" Kisame asked.

"No, Iruka was a below average student, and his only redeeming quality was his ability to make plans on the fly. He mostly let me and our other teammate do the fighting, or he ran by and distracted people while Hayate and I snuck up behind them," Itachi explained. "Our Jounin-_sensei_ had no time to teach us anything besides standard Konoha training."

Kisame snorted. "Plain but effective as they it is. Sometimes I think Konoha is only great because of its clans."

Itachi's lips twitched with what might have been a smile. His eyes, still half lidded, swirled red as he watched the sleeping Chuunin.

"The plan's the same, ne? We get the kid back in control of his body and then get back to headquarters with him. Should we kill _Oikawa_-_chan_ before we go?" Kisame grinned at the idea.

"We'll have to. After we get Naruto back in control of his body our goals split. He wants to keep the boy alive. We don't. All we have to do to keep him our ally is keep him from knowing what will happen after we have Naruto," Itachi explained almost blandly. He was only half paying attention to the conversation, but that was all the attention he really needed to pay it. Itachi's mind was rarely focused on only one thing, but when it was it was frightening.

"In the mean-time we'll squeeze all the information about Konoha out of him we can," Kisame chuckled, and Itachi let his head nod forward a little. His eyes were only open the barest bit, but they were glowing red underneath his dark lashes

Kisame continued chuckling. If he was a shark, then Itachi was a cat. The minnow they'd netted had better watch his back, or he'd end up being eaten to fill the predator's ambitions.

* * *

**A/N:Dun dun dun! Suspense! Excitement! Chatting like old ladies!**

**If you're going 'What? How could Iruka and Itachi have been on Gennin team together' the answer is, technically, they probably couldn't, unless you moushed the ages around a little. Please note this is AU, dears, and the whole Iruka, Itachi, and Hayate on a team taught by Genma is something Miranda Crystal-Bearer and I have been playing around with. It's not canonically possible, but it's fun.**

**I'd like to ask Victoria9 to get out of my head(since she predicted what was going to happen in her last review) and thank: Nicole Miklos, sascake, Esoretic Memories, Miranda Crystal-Bearer, RedTheRetard, WannabeFirefox, a.noni, and Victoria9 for the lovely reviews!**

**Jaa ne!**


	5. Faltering Stride

**NOTE: _Oikawa_ means minnow, and _Same_ means shark!**

_Splish splish, I was takin' a bath,  
Long about a Saturday night,  
A rub-a-dub, just relaxin' in the tub,  
Thinkin' everything was alright,  
Well, I stepped out the tub, put my feet on the floor,  
I wrapped the towel around me and I,  
Opened the door, and then I,  
Splish, splash... I jumped back in the bath,  
Well how was I to know there was a party going on?-_**Splish Splash**-Daren Bobby

* * *

Shikamaru looked like he was sulking; he wasn't. It was true that he was less than satisfied with his current mission, but there was nothing he could do about it. He knew there was nothing his team--which consisted of five Genin and himself--could do against the Kyuubi. If they were lucky they would never see the Kyuubi, because if they did they were dead.

Shikamaru looked over his 'team' and thought they looked very rag-tag and pitiful. Only Kiba, already thirteen and growing fast, looked ready for any sort of action and capable of dealing with it. Chouji looked bored and just a little scared. Hinata was scared, but she was trying to hide it. Ino was standing with her hands on her hips like she owned the woods though Shikimasru she was terrified, and Shino...

Shikamaru had given up trying to decide what the Aburame was thinking ages ago. The boy's expression was lost beneath his bangs, glasses, and coat. Shikamaru wouldn't be surprised if Shino had _no_ eyes at all.

Shikamaru sighed and regarded his team with a frown. "We'll split up into two teams of three for this. Each team will have a two mile stretch of woods to patrol. Do _not_ go deep into the woods, and try to keep Konoha's walls in sight. We'll meet back here every three hours, and after dark we're done. The Kyuubi's chakra glows in the dark, and the guards on the wall will be able to see it.

"Me, Chouji, and Hinata will take the left side of the woods while Shino, Kiba, and Ino will take the right side." Shikamaru held up his hand to stall argument. "Shino's second in command after me, and the leader of the second team."

"Why split up our old Genin cells?" Ino almost whined. "We'll work better as a team if we stick with what we know."

No one seemed bothered by the fact Shino was now second in command. Kiba even looked pleased by that. Shikamaru folded his hands together and sighed again. "Each team needs a member who can sense unusual chakra. Akamaru can smell it and Hinata can see it. That's the only reason I'm splitting us up like this."

No one protested. Shikamaru continued. "If you see the Kyuubi don't try to fight it, run. Send two people here and another to the wall to warn the guards. We're no match for the Kyuubi." Hinata gulped and Akamaru growled.

"If you see any other strange creatures proceed with caution, and send a runner to the wall. Do not get into any needless confrontations with anything in the woods, since a fight might attract the Kyuubi. If you get into trouble send up a whistle signal and the other team will converge on your location, got it?" Shikamaru looked over his team again.

"_Wakatta,_" Shino replied. "My _kikei_ bugs might be able to sense the Kyuubi as well."

"That's good," Shikamaru sighed a third time. "This is so troublesome."

"Someone's gotta do it," Kiba said gruffly, and Akamaru was still growling.

"The last thing is this: if you see Umino Iruka, send a runner to the wall and have the other two watch him until reinforcements arrive." Shikamaru didn't like those orders. He had a hard time believing his former _sensei_ would desert, but orders were orders. The Chuunin certainly hadn't come back from his mission to help kill the Kyuubi, and if he'd just been killed there would be no need for an elaborate cover story.

None of the others seemed to like the orders either. They all remembered Iruka well and, perhaps, fondly. He'd been their teacher for almost all four years they'd been at the Academy, and somehow it had been hard to dislike the quick-tempered _sensei_.

"All right then, let's move out," Shikamaru's words seemed to break everyone out of their own dark thoughts. "Meet back here in three hours." There was a chorus of '_Hai_'s, and the six shinobi leapt off into their respective teams and formations.

* * *

Shinobi were very clean people. Sweat and unwashed human had a very heavy and distinctive odor that made sneaking up on people impossible. Therefore shinobi had to be very clean, but they washed with specially scented soap that wouldn't be noticeable. Each village supposedly had its own heavily guarded soap recipe which allowed the village's shinobi's scent to match the place he was going to be spending the most time in, but a shinobi going on a reconnaissance mission had no trouble securing the soap of whatever place he was going to.

Iruka was scrubbing his stinging half-healed cuts with soap that smelled earthy and green. It was Konoha soap provided by Itachi. Iruka and his two...companions, for lack of a better word...were bathing in one of the deeper streams of the forest. More accurately Iruka and Kisame were bathing while Itachi kept watch. The younger shinobi was already clean.

Iruka dunked his head under water and scrubbed at his hair, wincing as soap got into the cut on his forehead. He came up and scrubbed his head some more. He was filthy after two days of running for his life. Iruka dunked his head under water again and came up smoothing his hair back from his face. Kisame casually grabbed the soap from Iruka, and Iruka didn't protest.

Kisame, Iruka discovered, was a scaly blue all over and had gills. Iruka was intrigued by the gills, which were something Iruka had wished he had as a small child. Kisame was also powerfully built and looked very intimidating, especially when he was next to Itachi (short, thin, with wiry muscles of steel).

"Itachi, how did you and _Same-san_ come to be friends?" Iruka asked as he examined a few of his deeper cuts.

"You can stop calling him _Same-san_," Itachi said calmly. He looked like a cat sun-bathing.

Iruka grinned. "I call him _Same-san_ out of my great respect for him, Itachi."

"And I call you _Oikawa-chan_ out of my great desire to eat your organs in stir fry," Kisame retorted with a sharp grin and a chuckle. Iruka laughed, and he knew the sound was almost mad. It was more of a cackle, really.

"Well, how did you meet up with a missing-nin from Kirigakurage?" Iruka pressed. He'd noted earlier the two had matching cloaks and hats, which probably meant the two were from the same group of something. Perhaps it was a group of S-class missing-nin, and wasn't that was a chilling thought.

"We met a few years ago, and, yes, we are a part of a small group of like-minded individuals," Itachi had his eyes closed, though he was supposed to be keeping watch. Iruka doubted anyone could sneak up on Itachi even if his eyes were closed.

"Knowing there's a group of people with the same mind set as you and _Same-san_ will certainly help me sleep tonight," Iruka commented dryly. "That or the drugs you slip me will."

Itachi opened his eyes a bit and looked at Iruka. "Rest assured that was a one-time thing. As long as you don't exhaust your chakra to that extent again you won't need to sleep so deeply to recover it."

Iruka snorted.

"You, while you are useful, are weak. Your fighting skills are not on my or Kisame's level, and if you're weakened you become a danger to me and Kisame. We need you at your best to reduce the danger your weakness causes," Itachi explained dryly.

"Wow, you should give motivational speeches, Itachi." Iruka went under water once more to make sure he'd gotten all the soap off himself. He came up pushing his hair back from his face. He climbed out of the stream to begin the slow process of drying off without a towel. Itachi had managed the feat quickly, but he had probably used some sort of _jutsu_. Iruka didn't have chakra to use on something like that.

"So, _Oikawa_-_chan_, what can you tell us about the recent happenings in Konoha?" Kisame asked as he too came out of the water. The fish-man flicked his hands through a few signs and the excess water fell off him.

"The Kyuubi got loose and ate some people," Iruka replied. No one had actually been eaten, but a lot of people had died trying to stop the Kyuubi. Iruka felt cold despite the warm sun beating down on him. The last six months had been terrible.

He'd been teaching crash-course lessons to get children graduated from the Academy quickly, and he'd hated it. He knew half the children he'd been teaching would die during their first few months on duty. There was simply no way to get the children ready that quickly. Genin with four solid years of training and restricted to low-risk missions still got killed. Genin with less than two years of rushed training forced into higher-risk missions would get slaughtered.

Iruka had been preparing those children for a bloody painful death, and he'd hated every second of it.

Cold, scaly hands touched Iruka's bare back, making him almost jump back into the stream. Water jumped off Iruka's skin and hair to the ground, leaving Iruka dry. Iruka glanced back and saw Kisame grinning at him. The fish-man had a very alarming grin.

"How did the Kyuubi get loose?" Itachi pressed, his eyes closed and his voice almost dreamy. Iruka wasn't fooled. The Uchiha was paying close attention to everything that was happening.

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out," Iruka replied. He grabbed his clothes, which were more accurately the clothes he'd borrowed from Itachi and Kisame, and began pulling them on. "The best way to do that is going back to Konoha and finding out if there's a record of where Naruto was when the Kyuubi got loose." Kisame grumbled something about paper pushers, and Itachi made a vaguely approving noise.

Iruka began pulling his hair back into its normal ponytail. He reached automatically for his _hitai-ate_ and froze when it caught the sun. This _hitai-ate_ was practically new. Iruka had gotten it just over a year ago after he'd given his old one to Naruto. Iruka's heart clenched when he remembered Naruto beaming face when Iruka had handed over his _hitai-ate_.

Iruka's hand tightened around the metal band of his _hitai-ate_ as is thoughts turned to darker memories. The first day the Kyuubi had gotten loose came vividly to Iruka's mind. Kakashi had been the one to tell him. Iruka, despite the sick feeling in his gut he hadn't felt since his parent's death, had finished teaching his class before running down to see the damage.

Buildings had been blown up. There was an enormous patch of destruction that led outside of Konoha into a path of forest. The bodies, both dead and injured, had already been cleared away. Most people had gotten away with nightmares, broken bones, and burns, but some had died, either from the Kyuubi's demonic chakra or the Kyuubi's claws.

Iruka hadn't thrown up, but he'd gone numb. This was too much like the first Kyuubi attack for him. Certainly the destruction was less and the area smaller, but the smell in the air and the tang in Iruka's mouth almost sent his mind straight back to when he'd searched the ash-strewn ground for any sign of his parents so many years ago. Part of him had almost died right there when he saw the wreckage and knew the Kyuubi was loose and Naruto was lost.

When he'd seen the delicate pink-haired body covered in a pale blood-stained sheet part of him had died, or gone to sleep. The months after that were a dark blur filled with repetition. Thinking back Iruka was amazed by how much he'd relied on those repetitions to get him through the days. Until he'd been asked to help kill the Kyuubi his life had centered on his students, which was a bitter, heart-breaking thing to consider.

Iruka traced the leaf design on the headband. It was a symbol of Konoha's shinobi. It was a symbol Iruka had lived and fought under for ten years now, and now he had tossed it away. Iruka looked at Itachi's _hitai-ate_. The same leaf symbol gleamed at him, but it was marred with the mark of a missing-nin. Iruka drew his thumb nail across the middle of the leaf symbol and was momentarily blinded as the sun glinted off the metal and into his eyes.

"Oi, _Oikawa-chan_," Kisame called.

Iruka looked up and folded his _hitai-ate_ up. He tucked it into his pocket and stood up. He knew he'd never wear his leaf _hitai-ate _again, but he wasn't ready to throw it away just yet.

* * *

Kakashi Hatake was not a philosophical man. He believed in what he could see, hear, taste, feel, and smell. His life as a shinobi had taught him that was the best way to live. In his experience gods and demons never granted to favors to mortal men, and relying on them to do so was pointless and dangerous. A shinobi could only trust himself and his comrades.

Of course, there would always be the comrades who betrayed their fellows. Traitors among shinobi were not common creatures in Konoha, but they were about. There was always some ambitious fool who would be willing to betray his village for personal gain.

Kakashi sat crouched in front of the Hero's stone, and let his eye trail down the familiar list of names. His eye paused on Obito's name, as it always did. There were many Uchiha on the stone, but Obito was the only one that mattered to Kakashi.

Inuzuka, Aburame, Hyuuga, and Uchiha were names that appeared regularly across the stone. Kakashi passed them over rather slowly. He hadn't personally known more than a double handful of the shinobi on the stone, but he knew far too many of the names on the stone by reputation or word of mouth.

Kakashi stood and prepared to leave. He gathered himself up and paused. He let his feet carry him away from the Hero's stone to a smaller stone covered all over with names. There were several old offerings around the stone, even though it commemorated people who had been dead for a while now. This little monument had been erected to honor all the civilians and non-shinobi medics who had died during the Kyuubi's attack. The names were in alphabetical order, and Kakashi found the two names he was looking for quickly.

_Tako Umino, Hideto Umino_

There was nothing to say that the two had been married, but they had been. They had also left a lonely orphan named Iruka who had become a shinobi. The two had been killed by the Kyuubi, and now their son was trying to save the Kyuubi. If one did not add Naruto to the equation it sounded like Iruka had gone mad, but maybe he actually had. The Kyuubi had been in control for too long, and Naruto could never go back to being the _genki_ kid he had been.

Kakashi's left arm suddenly hurt. It was an annoying twinge at first, but it steadily grew. Kakashi grabbed his left arm in his right and gritted his teeth. It felt like fire was consuming his arm. It felt like teeth were tearing flesh from bone. It felt like claws were scratching deep grooves into the bone.

"Kakashi-_sensei_," A calm, cold voice spoke, and Kakashi was glad his back was turned to the speaker. He couldn't control the twitches in his face that gave away his pain. He waited for a few moments while the pain died down to a bearable sensation and turned.

Kakashi knew the boy's eyes had always been cold and black--at least they had been since his clan's death--but now there was something about them that made Kakashi tense. He'd seen eyes like that in the face of a seasoned ANBU, but never in the face of a thirteen year-old boy.

"Sasuke-_kun_, glad you could join me," Kakashi turned to face his one remaining student and tucked his left hand into his pocket. "A new mission, I suppose?" Missions were a constant. Even now Konoha ran missions, perhaps fewer than six months ago, but money was still coming in.

"_Hai,_" Sasuke held out a scroll. "They said it shouldn't take more than a week."

By the end of which Iruka Umino would be caught, Kakashi was sure. "Well, let's get going." Kakashi walked away from the Hero's stone, leaving behind only the faint smell of incense.

* * *

Iruka felt a surge of chakra as the creature bore down on him. It wasn't the Kyuubi's chakra, but it wasn't a shinobi's either. Iruka threw himself backwards and up as something crashed into the ground where he'd been moments ago. Iruka couldn't make out any details about the thing but that it was hairy and had far too many teeth and claws before it leapt towards him.

It was definitely some sort of animal. Iruka threw a handful of kunai at the creature, but that only made it madder. Iruka jumped back again, his sore, tired muscles screaming in protest. The creature turned, its fang filled mouth open to emit a hissing growl. Iruka's foot crunched in the fallen leaves, and he wondered where Kisame and Itachi were.

The creature lunged and jumped. Iruka crouched to roll, but something caught him, yanked him down, and held him still. Something else blurred in front of him seconds before the creature landed on him, and blood rained down on Iruka. He clamped his eyes and mouth shut and heard the creature's body fall to the ground.

"What is it?" Kisame asked with a mild curiosity. Iruka's body came back under his control, and he began wiping blood from his face.

"A _tanuki_, perhaps," Itachi responded in a way that made it clear he wasn't sure. Iruka opened his eyes and saw the two missing-nin standing by the creature. Kisame's sword was bloody, and the creature, which did look a little like a _tanuki_, was missing its throat.

"I guess the Kyuubi's chakra really is badly affecting the wildlife," Iruka almost laughed as he clambered slowly to his feet.

"You didn't tell us that," Itachi's voice was bland, but his red eyes were flashing and spinning.

"I didn't know the Kyuubi's chakra was turning the other creatures into demons," Iruka replied as he wiped more blood off his face. "What did you do to me?"

"_Kage mane no jutsu_," Itachi responded airily, as if it should have been obvious. Perhaps it had been. There was no telling how many different _jutsu_ Itachi had stored in the genius brain of his. Iruka winced as he noticed the burning feeling that was starting almost everywhere the blood was touching him. It was especially strong along the cut across his scalp.

"Just my luck the blood is caustic, and I have more scrapes and cuts than a kid with his first kunai," Iruka grumbled.

"With your luck that blood will infect your wounds, and you'll die painfully when they turn septic." Itachi blinked and his eyes began fading back to grey. "You should wash it off."

"The blood burns, eh?" Kisame looked intrigued. "How much does it burn, _Oikawa-chan_?"

"Not enough to be crippling, but too much to ignored." Iruka resisted the urge to scratch his scalp where the burning was the worst. "I think I'll take Itachi's advice and wash this stuff off before it gets any worse."

Itachi's hands blurred, and a clone of the Uchiha appeared. "The clone can go with you. I want to look at this thing some more." Iruka nodded and set off back to the three's 'camp.' Iruka carefully dispelled the _genjutsu_ and undid the traps around Itachi's pack before grabbing the soap and heading back to the stream he'd bathed in that morning.

Itachi's clone followed him. Iruka kept glancing at the clone, which was making him nervous. If he ran into trouble Itachi's clone would be a big help, but it still made Iruka nervous. Iruka dropped his uniform jacket on the stream bead and simply waded into the stream with the bloody clothes on. He pulled the hair band out of his hair as he ducked underwater and scrubbed at the blood in his hair. The slow moving stream helped to pull some of the almost fresh blood out of his hair.

It took Iruka a while to get all the burning blood off of himself and his borrowed clothes (the shirt was Kisame's and the pants were Itachi's). Iruka stepped out onto the bank and saw Itachi's clone leaning against a tree watching him. Iruka stuck his tongue out at the clone and flopped back onto the leaf covered floor. He stared up into the bare tree branches, the bar of soap still loosely held in his hand. He wished there were leaves on the branches. When there had been leaves on the branches things had been better.

Iruka suddenly sat up, and his mouth went dry. Chakra flared suddenly into existence. It was horribly strong chakra that brought a metallic taste to Iruka's mouth as soon as he sensed it. It pressed down on Iruka's senses and seemed to smother him. Itachi's clone disappeared as soon as the chakra touched it. Iruka's eyes fell on the opposite bank of the stream and he saw the Kyuubi.

It caught him with a burning red stare and approached.

* * *

**A/N:Whoo! A bit later than usual, but it's the longest chapter so far! Kisame and Iruka are fun to write, except they tend to run away with me. Okay, in case you didn't know...  
_Genki:_Spirited/hyper  
_Kage mane no jutsu:_Shadow Possession Technique**

**Thanks for reviewing:a.noni, Nicole Miklos, RedTheRetard, Esoretic Memories, WannabeFirefox, Blood Zephyr, Miranda Crystal-Bearer, Lady Laran**

**And, if you have this story on alert, review it! It strikes me as weird that you would want to know when it's updated, but not want to review it. So, go ahead, click the button. It doesn't bite.**

**Jaa ne!**


	6. Rainfall

_Iron sharpens iron,  
__So one man sharpens another_.-Proverbs 27:17 NIV

* * *

Iruka hadn't been able to move since the red eyes had caught his. He could barely breathe as the Kyuubi's chakra was directed towards him. His senses felt compressed. His body broke out in a cold sweat, and his mouth was dry and filled with a metallic taste almost like blood.

The Kyuubi glided forward, walking on the water as if it were land. The water steamed as the Kyuubi stepped on it. Iruka gagged as the Kyuubi's smell rolled over him. It added a musty taste to his mouth that was nauseating.

Iruka couldn't move. His muscles were clenched and shaking, and he couldn't move. He could only stare at the advancing Kyuubi and wonder how it was going to kill him. There was nothing else the creature could want with Iruka but to kill him, after all. It moved with a fluid predator's grace, and its teeth and claws were deadly sharp. Chakra filled with bloodlust rolled off it, and it was advancing on Iruka.

It stepped easily onto the bank not a foot in front of Iruka's feet and sat watching him. Its tails danced gently around it. It kept its steady red gaze on Iruka and flexed it claws. The ground it touched charred, and the leaves disintegrated. Iruka could guess at what a touch of the demon would do to him. Iruka tried to pull back as the Kyuubi slid closer and wondered if he had been wrong all along and this creature really was simply the Kyuubi and nothing else.

"Sssensssei," the Kyuubi almost purred as it stopped only inches from Iruka. "Iiruukaa-ssenssei," it hissed. Iruka kept staring at the red eyes, and found the faint band of purple around the iris. He concentrated on that and was able to pull himself up into a crouch. The Kyuubi growled.

"So, how've you been, Naruto?" Iruka asked in a hoarse voice. His mouth and throat were completely dry. "I haven't seen you in, what, almost two days, right?" He was beginning to think he might pass out from the sheer amount of chakra pressing down on him. He felt like each breath he took was burning his lungs.

"Iruukaa-ssenssei'ss huurt." The Kyuubi's voice held an odd hissing quality that made distinguishing emotions in it impossible for Iruka. "Bleeding." The Kyuubi's eyes flashed.

"No-not bad," Iruka choked out. "Naruto, that is really you talking, right?"

The Kyuubi smiled, revealing sharp teeth and wicked fangs. It reached forward with a clawed finger and touched Iruka's cheek. Iruka's cheek immediately began to burn. He could feel the chakra eating at his skin. He gasped and only the Kyuubi's red eyes kept him from moving.

"Na-Naruto, stop. You're hurting me," Iruka managed. The finger pressed harder against his cheek, and the burning continued. Iruka struggled for a moment to find his voice.

"Naruto! Stop!" How he managed to wring his 'mad teacher' voice out of his dry throat he didn't know, but it worked. The Kyuubi jerked back and the chakra pressing around Iruka diminished. The Kyuubi stared at Iruka with a startled expression, and Iruka felt the weight of the red eyes lifting off him.

"_Sensei?_" The hiss was gone from the voice; it was simply breathless. Iruka watched in amazement as the red faded slightly and the Kyuubi stepped back. " 'Ruka-sensei?"

"Yeah, it's me," Iruka felt a smile break across his face, even though it hurt. "How've you been, Naruto?"

"I-" Kyuubi-Naruto hissed and tensed all over. It jerked its head around and Iruka followed the movement with his own head. Iruka whipped his head back around as Kyuubi-Naruto jumped away from Iruka and vanished into the trees.

"What's going on?" Itachi asked as he landed by Iruka. He held eight kunai in each fist. Kisame landed heavily next to him. Iruka could feel their chakra, much weaker than the Kyuubi's burning chakra had been. Itachi's burned in an almost comforting way against Iruka's raw senses, and Kisame's chakra felt cold. Kisame had more chakra than Itachi--almost twice as much.

"Kyu-kyuubi," Iruka coughed. His throat and mouth were covered in the horrible taste of the Kyuubi's scent.

"And it didn't eat you?" Kisame looked impressed, or maybe he was disappointed. Iruka's right eye, the one above his still burning cheek, was watering, making it hard to see the fish-man's expression clearly. The salty tears stung the raw skin below it, causing more tears to gather in his right eye….

Iruka would have thought he couldn't be more pitiful than when Kisame and Itachi had first found him, but he wasn't so sure anymore. He was drenched in sweat, shaking so hard his teeth were almost chattering. His breathing was coming in fast, erratic gasps, and his pulse was thundering.

"E-evidently not," Iruka replied to Kisame's incredulous remark. He saw Itachi and Kisame trade discreet glances, and Kisame smirked. Itachi turned his red-eyed gaze on Iruka. Compared to the Kyuubi's eyes Itachi's eyes were hardly red at all.

Iruka giggled.

Itachi flicked all his kunai back to wherever they'd come from, and crouched down beside Iruka. His eyes faded to grey as he looked at Iruka's cheek. "You're lucky that's only a second-degree burn."

"If it was third-degree I wouldn't be feeling it," Iruka almost laughed. He stood up in jerky movements, and nearly fell down. "I know now. I know he's still there."

"What?" Itachi looked up at Iruka with the half-lidded eyes of a half-asleep cat.

"I know Naruto's still conscious inside the Kyuubi, and I think it was looking for me," Iruka explained. He braced a hand against a tree and took a few deep breaths. "I need to go back to Konoha and figure out how it happened." He knew he was repeating himself. He had already told Kisame and Itachi he planned to go back to Konoha and search for records of what had happened to Naruto. The two missing-nin had agreed with his plan.

"Next time it rains, _Oikawa-chan_, we'll go," Kisame chuckled. "Unless you intend to crawl there right now." Iruka shook his head, and tried to push his sweat soaked hair back from his face. It didn't work very well.

Itachi stood gracefully and, without words, led the way back to where Kisame and Itachi's bags were. Iruka dropped more than sat down and leaned his back against the tree. His senses were slowly becoming less raw. His sense of Itachi and Kisame's chakra was already fading into what he'd normally be able to feel, which was a relief. He closed his eyes and tried to still his shaking body.

His eyes snapped open as Itachi moved towards him. Itachi's hands were flipping slowly through some signs. Iruka's body tensed before he told it to relax, and Itachi raised an eyebrow at him. The Uchiha crouched gracefully beside Iruka and made a few more signs.

"For your burn," he explained simply as he reached out a hand. Iruka barely flinched as Itachi's cold skin touched his cheek. If there was anyone who knew about treating burns it would be an Uchiha.

* * *

Kiba's nose was raw and it had bled earlier. He rubbed at it and sneezed. Akamaru, tucked away in his shirt despite the fact the puppy was getting too big for it, was having an even worse time with his nose. The dog's nose had been running bloody mucus almost constantly for the past two days, and Kiba's nose was about to do the same. After two days on border patrol the Kyuubi's forest the scent of the Kyuubi was beginning to cling to everything, and Kiba was ready to resort to desperate measures to get the scent off.

He cast a look to Hinata, and thought the girl was lucky she couldn't smell as well as he or Akamaru could, though she did seem more depressed than she had been before they'd started their patrol. Kiba shifted Akamaru around and the dog poked his head out of Kiba's coat. He whined at Hinata, who was intently studying the ground as they walked.

"So, how's working with Chouji and Shikimaru?" Kiba asked. He found he missed working with the quiet Hyuuga, and Ino was a big change from Hinata's quiet, timid ways.

"Oh, um, they're both very nice, and…." Hinata trailed off and fiddled with the zipper of her coat. "Shikamaru is very smart."

Kiba snorted, and his nose stung. "If he can be motivated to get off his lazy butt and think," Kiba almost growled. It was a playful growl a dog would have used while playing with his litter mates.

Hinata fiddled with her zipper some more, and Kiba hoped she was trying not to smile. Ever since the Kyuubi's escape Hinata's smile had become almost non-existent. Kiba sneezed again, and wiped his nose with the back of his hand. His hand came away bloody.

"Crap," Kiba grumbled as he felt blood beginning to flow down his lip. Akamaru whined as Kiba searched for something to staunch the flow with. He'd hardly started the search when Hinata handed him a slightly dirty handkerchief. Her brow was furrowed with concern.

"Eh, I'll be fine," Kiba said brightly as he held the handkerchief to his nose and leaned his head forward. "I clot well."

"I-If you have to keep going out and patrolling the forest your nose won't get any better," Hinata murmured with a quick glance to Kiba's face.

"No, but I'll learn to live with it," Kiba said in what he hoped with a stoic manner. "What about you? Does the forest do anything weird to your _Byakugan_?"

"_Iya_." Hinata shook her head. "It-it's just a little…..frightening to be that close to….." She trailed off, but Kiba knew what she meant. Even without his keen sense of smell he would still be on edge after patrolling the edge of a forest with the Kyuubi in it. The fact that the Kyuubi was using the body of one of their former classmate's body only made it worse.

Akamaru whined, and Kiba lifted his head. A lone figure was trudging towards them, head down and shoulders hunched. The person smelled of blood and ash, which put Akamaru's hackles up. Kiba could barely smell anything for the blood in his nose, and it took him a while to recognize the person.

"Oi, it's Sasuke," Kiba almost yelped. Hinata looked up. Sasuke looked up too. Kiba could see dark circles under his eyes.

"Oh, it's you," Sasuke observed as he pulled himself up straighter. Kiba snorted. He knew how tired the other Genin was just by looking at him. Sasuke didn't have to act tough in front of Kiba and Hinata, but he did anyway.

"Yeah, I've missed you too," Kiba rolled his eyes, and then his expression sobered. "Hey, they put Sakura's name up on the Hero's Stone. You should go see it. The rest of us Genin are going down tomorrow before our patrol starts to light some incense and stuff."

Sasuke's face only twitched a bit at the mention of Sakura's name, but he shrugged. "I don't have time. I'm supposed to head back for a new mission tomorrow."

"Then go now. It's still light enough to see," Kiba pressed as he stepped toward the Uchiha.

"I'll go later," Sasuke replied in a tone that told Kiba he never planned to go at all. If Kiba had possessed hackles they would have been up.

"You should go, she was your teammate, Sasuke," Kiba almost growled. "You risked your lives together and there's no telling how many times she saved your life. The least you can do is go pay your respects." If there was one thing every Inuzuka knew it was teammates were 'pack', and one never forgot them

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, and he snorted. "I don't need anyone."

"Oh, I suppose that's why you always get sent on missions with Kakashi," Kiba snarled. Inside his shirt Akamaru growled. "Or does great Copy-nin need a crutch?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed and he stepped toward Kiba. His step was threatening, and his body language screamed anger. Kiba bared his fangs at the other Genin, and Sasuke lifted his head to better glare down at Kiba. Kiba had an urge to go for the boy's exposed throat.

"I hear you're on border patrol across the forest. It's nice to know they're finally throwing something _useless_ out there for the Kyuubi to kill." Sasuke's voice was cold and flat. Kiba felt Hinata flinch, and growled. It was a deep, low, dangerous growl that started deep in his chest. Akamaru mirrored the snarl.

Kiba's eyes narrowed. "Have you noticed we're all still alive? You know why that is Sasuke? It's because we work as a _team._ We don't go off on our own. We don't leave people behind because we think they're slowing us down. We watch out for each other. We don't abandon each other. We don't live alone because we're afraid of people dying. We protect each other."

Sasuke moved, and Kiba caught the boy's arm in a bruising grip. Sasuke returned the grip, twisting his arm at an awkward angle. The bones in Kiba's arm grated together. "I don't need anyone. I don't want anyone. I don't need a team. I don't want one," Sasuke spat.

"Because you're afraid of losing them again," Kiba countered, tightening his grip on Sauske's arm. His nails were drawing blood on Sasuke, and the only things keeping the two from blows was the fact Konoha shinobi were not allowed to fight amongst themselves where civilians could see. Kiba wasn't sure even that would be able to hold them back for much longer. He ached to wipe the cold look off Sasuke's face. The boy had always been insufferable, but now he was worse.

"Kiba…" A gentle hand touched Kiba's shoulder. "Let's go." Hinata's gaze was lowered, and Kiba could feel she was shaking. He hoped she was shaking with anger. Kiba let go of Sasuke and wrenched his hand away. Sasuke pulled back gracefully and smirked.

Kiba bit down the words that rose in him and quickly turned to follow Hinata. He could feel a bruise forming on his arm. He growled to himself as he walked down the darkening street. Sasuke was a jerk.

"I-it must be terrible to be so alone," Hinata whispered. Kiba stared at her. Akamaru lifted his nose to Kiba's chin and howled.

* * *

Iruka blocked another blow, and his arm shook. His bruises were bruising, and sweat was dripping off his nose. The blocks were all standard Konoha taijutsu, and Iruka knew them by heart. Itachi obliged the standard blocks with standard kicks and punches, but the Uchiha was fast. His deceptively small frame was all wiry muscle, and even though he was holding back Iruka could feel bruises starting up on his arms wherever a blow landed.

Kisame sat reclined against a tree, watching with a sharky grin. He had started grinning as soon as Itachi had told Iruka they were going to spar. Itachi's reasoning was that Iruka was a liability to Itachi and Kisame, and if Itachi could make Iruka less of a liability it would be a good thing. Hence the Uchiha was gauging Iruka's skill. Iruka grunted as a particularly hard punch nearly knocked through his guard.

Iruka's shoulder hurt suddenly as the blow landed. Iruka jumped back from Itachi. "Stop, you'll mess up my shoulder again." To say nothing of the new bruises on top of all his old half-healed ones. Itachi relaxed from his stance, and Iruka got the feeling he was being measured.

"Did you swallow a Konoha text-book on taijutsu?" Kisame asked as Iruka lowered himself onto the ground. Four days had done a lot to heal him and replenish his chakra, but he was still below par.

"I've been teaching straight from a text-book for six years, _Same-san._" Iruka replied. He didn't have to wonder why Kisame knew those blocks had been straight from a Konoha text-book. If Kisame had fought at least a dozen Konoha shinobi he would recognize the base they had all built their taijutsu styles on. Iruka pulled up his sleeve and examined the reddening skin.

"I think he's more trouble than he's worth, Itachi," Kisame chuckled.

Iruka turned his head to look at the fish-man, whose eyes were glinting dangerously. Iruka had first thought that Itachi was the more dangerous of the two, but after feeling how much chakra Kisame had Iruka wasn't so sure. Itachi was obviously in charge of the planning, and Kisame followed the younger shinobi, but Kisame had more destructive power than Itachi.

"We'll loosen him up," Itachi replied blandly. "He's useful enough if the Kyuubi didn't eat him." Iruka absently touched the new scar on his left cheek. It started just under his old scar and spread out and down to his jaw. It wasn't a bad scar, thanks to the use to Itachi's _jutsu_, but it would be another mark Iruka would bear for the rest of his life.

Iruka reached up and absently rubbed his hand over the scar across his nose. It ached, and there was a head-ache building behind it. Iruka knew that feeling very well. It meant it was going to rain.

A thrill raced through Iruka, turning his stomach. He looked up sharply and found both Itachi and Kisame staring at him. "It's going to rain."

Itachi's lips quirked, and Kisame laughed.

* * *

Konoha was a green place, and therefore needed a lot of rain to keep it green. It wasn't unusual for Konoha to get more than an inch of rain a week by means of wild thunderstorms or gentle downfalls of rain. Tonight was something in between those storms. The rain fell hard, but there was no wind or thunder. Iruka raced along behind Itachi with Kisame bringing up the rear.

Iruka's heart was pounding, and he felt horribly alive. They were in Konoha, and the city slept around them. Rain had lulled many people to sleep, and now, a hour or two after midnight, the streets were deserted. As they neared shinobi-oriented part of the town more people would be about, but not many.

Their feet hit the rain slick roofs with hardly a sound, and Iruka knew they were one slip away from discovery which, in the heart of Konoha, would be death. He shivered not from fear, but from something he couldn't name. Itachi led them by his old memories and maps Iruka had drawn in the dust. They were headed for the Hokage's tower, which was now vacant, but would (hopefully) hold the records they needed.

Itachi landed lightly on the side of the tower. Iruka landed crouched beside him. The Uchiha looked at the window beside them and nodded. Iruka formed a few signs, and pressed his hands to the window. If he was still keyed into the _jutsu_ that kept this part of the tower locked their job would be easy.

A soft glow surrounded Iruka's hand, and he smiled. There had been too much to do and worry about to change the _jutsu_, evidently. Maybe it wasn't even known he was keyed into the _jutsu_. Sandaime himself had done it, and who would think a Chuunin Academy teacher would be able to access such sensitive documents?

Iruka swung the window open and stepped in. The room was softly lit by the green glow of the emergency light strips around the walls. Iruka formed seals and gently pushed the water off his clothes and hair and back out the window. Kisame and Itachi did the same, and waited for Iruka. Iruka took a short breath and moved for the closest filing cabinet. He didn't have a key, but he had a senbon that would do the trick. Two _jutsu_ and five minutes later Iruka was sorting gently through the scrolls in the cabinet.

After a few minutes of looking he closed it. That wasn't what he was looking for. He moved to another and started the process over again. The documents Iruka leafed through only confirmed what he knew. Konoha was struggling. First there had been the attack by Sound, and then the Kyuubi had gotten loose. After the Kyuubi got loose there was no way to hide how badly Konoha was hurting. The village was openly struggling to keep itself afloat.

Iruka found he wasn't very guilty. There was a niggling doubt in the back of his head, but he put it aside. He had made his choice, and he couldn't give up on it. Giving up on that choice would be giving up on Naruto, and he couldn't do that. Iruka was going to save the boy if it killed him, which was likely.

Iruka picked up a scroll, and frowned at the seal. He slowly eased it open, and the first few words made his heart pound harder. This was it. This was what they had come for. He pulled the scroll open a little more and read the first paragraph quickly.

He stopped and read it again.

Iruka's hand tightened on the scroll, and his hands shook. Anger boiled up in him, and he swore softly. The world narrowed to the kanji painted onto the scroll in his hands. That was all he could see.

"Oi, _Oikawa-chan_, is that what we need," Kisame's voice and hand on Iruka's shoulder dragged his mind away from the words.

"Yeah," Iruka spat the words out. He'd nearly whipped around and tried to rip Kisame's arm off when the fish-man had touched him.

"Good, we managed to alert a guard or two. We should leave-now," Itachi said. His red eyes almost glowed in the semi-darkness of the room. Iruka, after tucking the scroll into his flak vest, followed Itachi out the window, once again taking the middle position. He was the liability. He was the weak one. He was the one who needed to be protected.

Anger churned in Iruka's stomach, and it was fast turning into rage. Itachi was fast, and all Iruka could think about was keeping up with him and the words he had read. He let himself be lead and tried to swallow the bitter taste of anger in his mouth.

Itachi leapt lightly onto the wall that marked the end of Konoha, and dropped almost thirty feet to the ground with ease. Iruka simply ran down the wall and hit the ground at a speed where one misstep would be death. Kisame still followed behind, his footsteps loud now that stealth was abandoned. They ran across the short stretch of wet grass towards the trees that were the Kyuubi's woods.

An ANBU landed in front of Iruka. Iruka barely slowed down before landed a hard punch on the ANBU's chest. He jumped around the ANBU and raced after Itachi, only to find three more ANBU between them and the forest. Iruka ducked as a barrage of shuriken and kunai was thrown at them. There were no ANBU behind them (save the one Iruka had knocked down), but there was Konoha, which offered nothing but more enemies. They needed to get back into the forest.

"We're too close to Konoha . We need to get away," Iruka gasped. Itachi nodded, and Iruka suddenly grinned. "How big of a fireball can you make?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow at Iruka, and his hands flashed through seals. Iruka's hands began seals as well. They both remembered this trick from their Genin days. Just as Kisame jumped up beside them a giant fireball appeared and was engulfed in a sudden deluge of water. Steam shot into the air and hissed out in all directions. Iruka jumped into it, remembering the positions on the ANBU, and dashed into the shelter of the trees.

* * *

**A/N:And, we're back! It's not as bad a cliff hanger as last time, ne? Hope you're all enjoying reading this as much as I enjoy writing it! **

**Thanks to all the reviewers(all twelve of them!):Blue the Bloody Baron, a.noni, Ice Dragon3, Juniperbreezie, RedThe Retard, Blood Zephyr, Esoretic Memories, BlackDove-alchemist, Nicole Miklos, WannabeFirefox, Miranda Crystal-Bearer, and Akira.**

**Jaa ne!**


	7. Falling On

_You've got to find your balance,  
__You've got to realize,  
Y__ou've got to try to find,  
__What's right before your eyes.-_Falling on-Finger Eleven

* * *

Iruka burst through the steam and into the trees. He ran, pushing chakra into his feet and legs. It took him five strides to realize he couldn't see Itachi or Kisame. The steam trick had been a little too effective, evidently, but Itachi and Kisame could probably find Iruka easily enough. Iruka should focus on getting deeper into the forest.

Iruka threw himself forward as he felt a blow coming at his head. Years of having things thrown at him from behind by mischievous students had given Iruka an excellent sense of something-is-flying-towards-my-head. He whirled and came to face the ANBU, who was already launching another attack. Iruka dodged, and was hit with two kunai. He jumped away, but the ANBU stayed right with him.

All ANBU were elite, but there were some who were the better than others--the elite of the elite. Iruka had the sinking feeling he was facing one of those now as he received a punch that sent him stumbling back. Iruka was built sturdy with an excellent sense of balance, and that was the only thing that kept him on his feet under the ANBU's barrage of blows.

Iruka couldn't attack. He was scrambling to dodge and block, but he was still getting hit _hard_ in places where getting hit was dangerous. If he slipped on the wet leaves he was dead. If he failed to block one of the more powerful blows he was dead. This ANBU was not planning on taking Iruka alive. He wanted him dead, and Iruka was about to _die_ _**before **_he got Naruto back_._

Iruka snapped. The anger that he'd been battling down since reading the scroll in his vest boiled out. It rose into something that could only be called fury, and Iruka's solid Konoha defensive form dropped. He rolled chakra into his arms and legs. The ANBU launched a chakra enforced strike at Iruka's throat, intending to either behead him or crush his windpipe. The blow didn't land.

Iruka grabbed the ANBU's arm, locked his elbow, and threw him. He heard the elbow pop, and watched the ANBU roll to his feet as Iruka descended on him. The ANBU struck again, and Iruka dodged the blow. He was now using chakra to enhance his speed and his power. Iruka grabbed the ANBU and threw him again. The ANBU hit a tree hard, and Iruka heard things break.

"Oi! Iruka_! Hayaku kitte!_" Itachi shouted as he and Kisame flashed through the trees past Iruka and his ANBU opponent. Iruka waited a second to see the ANBU drop limply to the ground and then leapt after Kisame and Itachi, his mind still clouded with rage and unable to realize what he had just done.

* * *

The scroll began with a list of jutsu Iruka didn't know. There were complex diagrams of circles and squares and hexagrams that needed to be written with more blood than ink. The scroll went on to detail the operations that the jutsu were for, and what had happened.

It had been an attempt to bring up Konoha's fire-power, and it had failed miserably. The original idea had been to weaken the Kyuubi's seal just enough to give its vessel more of its power. It hadn't worked, in fact it had blown up spectacularly.

_The Vessel's former Genin teammate was standing by to help in case of complications. The Vessel was fond of her, and the sight of her should have helped him stay in control. The jutsu were working fine, and everything seemed to be going as planned. The second to last sequence was finished and the last one was beginning._

_Something went wrong. The Kyuubi's chakra broke completely through Yondaime's seal. The Kyuubi then pulled chakra out off all the shinobi connected to the jutsu currently being worked and used it to break through the Yondaime's seal. All the shinobi in the room were killed instantly._

_The Kyuubi then broke out of the room. The Genin was chased down and killed in the confusion. Everyone was trying to get away. The Kyuubi smashed through a wall of the building and escaped into the street, leaving death and destruction in his wake. Civilians and shinobi alike were killed, and the Kyuubi escaped into the forest to the east of Konoha._

The scroll went on to explain the attempts to recapture the Kyuubi. There had been two half-hearted attempts to squeeze the Kyuubi back into Naruto, but neither had come close to working. There were another twelve accounts of attempts to kill Naruto and the Kyuubi. The scroll was heavy with Konoha secrets, but Iruka was too infuriated to fully realize how many secrets the scroll contained.

_As a final effort we will try to lure the Kyuubi into a death trap using Umino Iruka, former teacher of the Kyuubi's vessel. The Kyuubi's vessel still has some consciousness left, and using a person he trusts will, hopefully, keep him from being mauled or killed as others have been. Umino Iruka is to be told nothing about the Kyuubi's vessel's semi-conscious state, as he was fond of the Kyuubi's vessel, to prevent complications._

_Complications, huh? _Iruka thought bitterly as he thought of the words. He'd read the whole scroll through twice now, and each time he got madder. The Grand Council had ordered Naruto's seal to be broken in an attempt to get some sort of super shinobi, and now the whole village was suffering. Iruka was so mad he was _shaking_. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so _mad_..

Iruka stood up abruptly and began pacing. Itachi was reading over the scroll with red-tinted eyes. Kisame had perused the scroll and left it to Itachi to dig any deeper meaning out of it. The restless pacing didn't really help, but Iruka couldn't sit still anymore. He wanted to _do_ something. He wanted to _fix_ everything _right now_. He didn't want to flounder around helpless anymore. Naruto had been betrayed by Konoha. Iruka had been betrayed by Konoha. Konoha had betrayed itself.

Iruka turned sharply and found Kisame watching him intently. Iruka's body tensed. For a moment Kisame was a threat, and Iruka was ready to fight him. Iruka forced himself to relax a bit, and took a few more steps. Pacing was _not_ helping him calm down and think.

"Same-san." Iruka almost winced at how abruptly his voice rang out and at how it shook. "Would you spar with me?"

Kisame raised his head a bit and looked past Iruka before looking at him. Iruka looked back, his body trying to twitch itself into all sorts of forms to protect itself from the attack that was to come, or strike before the attack came. Iruka could also feel Itachi looking at him.

"Sure, Oikawa-chan." Kisame grinned his predatory grin as he stood up and propped his sword up against a tree. "Just taijutsu?"

"_Aa_," Iruka replied as he stepped closer to Kisame. He let his body tense and knew his eyes were wide. He watched Kisame closely, but he almost missed the fish-man's first strike. It was a hard blow that jarred Iruka's bones. He couldn't block it completely, and instead stepped aside and let the blow slide past him. Kisame rounded on him again, and Iruka had no time to think.

Kisame fought with Kiriga's flowing taijutsu, and faced with that Iruka began to revert from Konoha's solid stances to something else. After the first few strikes Iruka stopped thinking and just fought. There was a flow to battle, even 'friendly' sparring matches had flows to them. Iruka fell into that flow, and let it wash him away.

Neither Iruka nor Kisame were using chakra, but the sparring match was getting faster and the blows were getting harder. Iruka flowed through forms his mind had almost forgotten but his body remembered perfectly. There was a response embedded in Iruka's reflexes for each attack and block Kisame used, and if Iruka didn't think they came easily.

Iruka, on a moment of pure luck, grabbed Kisame's elbow, locked it, and, somehow, managed to throw the larger shinobi to the ground. Kisame hit the ground with a grunt, and Iruka held the fish-man's arm in place, itching to twist it just a little bit more and break it. Iruka knew, however, if he tried that Kisame would be off the ground in a second and Iruka would be badly injured. Kisame was humoring him.

Iruka stepped back and nearly fell over. He was covered in sweat and breathing hard. His muscles ached and burned, but he hadn't noticed before. He'd been so drawn into the sparring he hadn't thought about _anything_ at all.

Kisame stood up, and he was grinning madly. He had enjoyed the sparring match, even if he had been holding back. Iruka didn't know whether he was insulted or grateful. Iruka absently touched his forearm, which had a large lump on it from one of Kisame's more direct blows.

Itachi was watching the two with half-lidded eyes, and he smiled slowly. "I was beginning to wonder if I had imagined your competence when we were Genin. Evidently I didn't."

Iruka realized Kisame had looked to Itachi before agreeing to spar with him, and he felt rather small. He'd almost forgotten he was basically at the mercy of two S-class missing-nin, which made Iruka sound like a dead man.

Kisame leaned up against the tree Itachi was sitting by and looked down at Iruka. "Where did a little minnow like yourself learn Kiriga taijutsu?"

"From an octopus and a starfish who came in on the ocean tide and lived in a river bank," Iruka replied, feeling slightly crazy. He felt tired, yes, but he also felt dangerous. He felt like he had just jumped off the Hokage's monument and was still free-falling.

"Octopus and starfish make dolphins?" Itachi looked up from the scroll with a raised eyebrow.

"Tako and Hideto Umino, eh?" Kisame looked thoughtful.

Itachi looked back down at the scroll, evidently dismissing Kisame's wondering tone. Itachi's eyes stayed on the top of the scroll.

Iruka tried to shake off the strange feelings that gripped him and squatted down by Itachi. "So, do those make any sense to you?"

Iruka expected the Uchiha to ignore him, but Itachi looked up and nodded. "Sealing and summoning _jutsu_ are not my strongest point, but I see what they've done. The Yondaime's seal isn't broken, but it's somewhere between cracked and suppressed. If we can find a way to suppress the Kyuubi enough then Yondiame's seal should start working again and pull the Kyuubi back inside Naruto. The seal might never be as strong as it once was, but it will be working again."

"So, how do we suppress the Kyuubi enough for the seal to start working again, and how much does the Kyuubi need to be suppressed?" Iruka pressed.

Itachi gave a lazy shrug that was almost irritated. "I don't know yet. As time goes on the Kyuubi breaks out a little more, and there's no telling how much the Kyuubi needs to be suppressed for the seal to start working. The longer we take to find a solution, however, the harder it will be to get the Kyuubi back in the seal."

Iruka sat down and pursed his lips. "Could Naruto do it on his own, or will we need a jutsu to do it?"

"If the boy could have done it on his own we probably wouldn't be in this mess," Itachi put in. "We'll need a jutsu, and a strong one at that."

"I don't suppose you just randomly happen to know any powerful sealing jutsu, do you?" Iruka asked hopefully.

Itachi gave him a look that said 'stop being stupid' and went back to studying the scroll.

Iruka sighed and began taking a mental inventory of his new bruises. The one of his forearm was already coloring, and promised to be pretty colors tomorrow, if one liked purple and blue.

"That's it!"

Kisame's bellow sent Iruka to his feet and into a defensive crouch. Itachi vanished completely.

Kisame leapt to his feet and pointed at Iruka. "Hideto Nami--daughter of one of the Seven Swordsmen! She married a medic hunter-nin named Umino, killed an important political figure while she was seven months pregnant, and both she and her husband got away from three squads of hunter shinobi sent after them! Your parents were Kiriga shinobi!"

Iruka stared at the pointing finger. "Ah, they were.."

"That's how you know Kiriga taijutsu!" Kisame looked up at the tree Itachi had been sitting next to and sent the branches an accusing glare. "You never said you were on a Genin team with an _Umino_!"

"I didn't know it mattered so much to you," the tree branches replied dryly.

" 'Mattered' huh," Kisame shook his head. "Hideto Umino only embodies the spirit of what all Kiriga shinobi strive to be. A man slighted her and she killed him while seven months pregnant, wrote threats over the man's bedroom walls in his blood, and escaped all pursuit to disappear completely. She was ruthless, decisive, and let nothing stop her." Kisame took on a lecturing tone.

" '_Kaa-san_ would be pleased to know she's gotten so much fame back in Kiriga. I'm afraid being a fish monger never really suited her," Iruka said with what might have been innocence.

Kisame snorted as he heard the words 'fish monger'.

"I had no idea you had such vicious roots," Itachi observed as he dropped back onto the ground. "Why did Sandaime place you in charge of children?"

Iruka flinched at the mention of the third Hokage. "It was better than mission-desk duty all the time, and I _like_ kids."

Kisame made a disapproving noise and sat back down muttering something about wasting good shinobi.

Itachi watched Iruka through half-lidded eyes, and Iruka felt like a goldfish being watched by a cat.

* * *

A lot could happen in two days. Worlds and lives could be changed forever. Countries could fall and heroes could rise. Two days could hold a lot of change, action, and potential.

Two days could also be extremely dull and inactive. Iruka had spent the past two days moving about the Kyuubi's forest to avoid the hesitant forays the ANBU made into it. Only the Kyuubi's presence kept the forest from being overrun with Konoha's finest killers. Kisame seemed disappointed, but Iruka was relieved.

So far Iruka had managed to avoid killing any Konoha shinobi, at least he thought he had. Iruka wasn't sure he wanted to kill any Konoha shinobi, but if it came down to it he could, unless it was one of his students. Iruka couldn't even _fight_ them, let alone kill one of them. The thought turned his stomach.

"Oi, _Oikawa-chan_, green is not your color," Kisame said from the branch above Iruka.

Iruka looked up at Kisame and nodded. He and Kisame had been sparring a lot over the past two days. Itachi just watched, and Kisame said something about 'digging out the Kirigakure shinobi' in Iruka. Ever since learning his parents had been rather infamous Kirigakure shinobi, Kisame had taking a bizarre liking to Iruka.

Iruka felt a little bit like a strange and exotic new pet, but he knew if he became a problem Kisame would dispose of him ruthlessly. Kisame was a true Kirigakure shinobi, just like Iruka's parents had been. Iruka's parents, despite having to hide from their home village in Konoha, had tried to make Iruka a true Kirigakure shinobi too.

Iruka's formerly high-ranking shinobi mother had been refused a position as a Konoha shinobi, and had settled for teaching Iruka to be a Kirigakure shinobi. His mother's teachings had been at odds with the things Iruka later learned at Konoha's Academy, but he solved the problem by compartmentalizing his different styles. His mother's teachings were for life or death situations, and his Konoha teachings were for everyday things.

His father had also taught him, but those teachings had been different from his mother's. His father had taught him some basic medical jutsu, though Iruka could do nothing more complicated than stop bleeding. He was better at using the medical knowledge his father had given him to roughly tear people apart, but he hadn't done that in years.

He wasn't allowed to use his Kiriga techniques in front of people anyway, but as he grew older he'd been used secretly to frame Kirigakure for assassinations and other things. Those missions were all off record, and technically hadn't even happened. Less than ten people knew Iruka's parents had taught him to be a Kiriga shinobi, and most of those people were dead now.

Iruka flinched away from the thoughts of how many people were dead, and crouched down on the tree branch. Death had become his enemy when he'd become a teacher. He taught his students to stay alive, keeping them away from Death's greedy clutches. He'd been teaching them to use their opponent's deaths to keep their own deaths at bay.

Kisame suddenly leapt off through the trees again, and Iruka scrambled to follow. He shook his brooding thoughts from his head and concentrated on keeping up with Kisame. After nine days of running mostly on adrenaline and having his life in nearly constant danger Iruka was starting to come down from the high those conditions had pushed him into.

He felt sick for deserting Konoha, but he couldn't have done anything else. He could have gone back to Konoha and been locked up, but that wouldn't have helped Naruto. That was what this was all about. Iruka had done all this to help Naruto, and, if he thought about it long enough, it made sense.

Iruka's loyalty had always been a little different than the average Konoha shinobi's. His loyalty was to the Hokage first, then his students, and after them came Konoha. Sandaime was dead, leaving Iruka's students as the ones he was most loyal to, and then Konoha had begun sending Iruka's students off without enough training and getting them killed. If Iruka applied a strange, twisted logic to the events, Konoha had first betrayed him and should have known better than to ask Iruka to choose between Konoha and one of his students.

Kisame stopped, and Iruka dropped lightly onto the branches beside him. Itachi had left sometime before down to sneak into Konoha and get food. The forest was mostly bare, and Itachi was, evidently, tired of just eating fish. Iruka had been wary about the Uchiha going back to Konoha so soon after they'd almost been caught, but he'd kept his mouth shut. Iruka was getting tired of getting 'are you stupid' looks from his companions.

It was now nearing dusk, and Itachi hadn't appeared. Kisame seemed unperturbed, and Iruka followed the fish-man's example. Kisame knew what Itachi was capable of more than Iruka did. Iruka had only known the man as a Genin, and now he was an S-class missing-nin.

Itachi suddenly appeared on the forest floor below them, and looked up before jumping neatly up the nearest tree to land on the branch by Kisame. He had a large pack slung over his shoulder, and looked pleased with himself.

"Let's go," the Uchiha said before leaping off across the naked branches. Iruka leapt after him and, as always, Kisame brought up the rear. It still grated on Iruka's nerves to be reminded Itachi and Kisame thought of him as a liability, and that was truly what he was to them.

Itachi finally dropped down onto the leaf strewn floor, and Iruka and Kisame landed beside him in a small puff of leaves. Iruka grinned to himself. They all followed Itachi and moved together like a true shinobi team, but they were anything but a true team. They were a shaky alliance of traitors.

"Here." Itachi pulled a small bag from his back and threw it to Iruka. "Instant ramen, like you asked."

Iruka had more accurately almost begged for it, but he had his reasons. Kisame gave Iruka a speculative look, but Iruka ignored it.

Over the past two days Iruka had come to a conclusion. The Kyuubi was following them. It wasn't around all the time, but Iruka knew at least once a day the Kyuubi crossed paths with them, even if none of them saw the Kyuubi Iruka knew the Kyuubi saw them.

Iruka had taken Itachi's words about suppressing the Kyuubi to heart, and he'd thought long and hard about it. Naruto was slowly losing more and more control to the Kyuubi, and if Iruka couldn't suppress the Kyuubi he could at least help Naruto keep what little control he had. Whenever the Kyuubi encountered something it was unfamiliar with but Naruto knew Naruto seemed to gain more control. Iruka wasn't sure how well his plan would work, but he was going to try.

Itachi had stopped them beside a small, shallow stream. The forest was riddled with tiny and larger streams, and it was easy to find water. Iruka dug one of the instant ramen bowls out of the bag, and knelt by the stream. He filled the bowl with water, making sure no fish swam into the bowl, and carefully folded his hands into signs.

Cooling and heating water was an easy jutsu Iruka had learned when he was young. It was impractical for making ramen, really, but it was still easier than starting a fire. Iruka crouched over the ramen bowl and watched it steam. Iruka pulled a pair of cheap bamboo chopsticks out of the bag and placed them across the top of the ramen bowl.

"What are you doing?" Kisame finally asked as Iruka stood and tied the ramen back shut.

"Leaving out some ramen for Naruto," Iruka replied easily.

"You're leaving out _food_ for the _Kyuubi_?" Kisame looked somewhere between horrified and amused. "Don't you know you're not supposed to leave food lying around when there's wild animals around, Oikawa-chan?"

Iruka just smiled, and Itachi made a noise that might have been a laugh and gave Iruka a knowing look.

* * *

**A/N:DUN DUN DUN! Bet none of you saw that coming. Iruka's parents were Mist! Need I remind you this is AU? **

**At the beginning Itachi say 'Come quickly' to Iruka, in case you were wondering.**

**Thanks to the reviwers:palinana, Blue the bloody Baron, BlackDove-alchemist, Nicole Miklos, Esoretic Memories, Miranda Crystal-Bearer, RedTheRetard, WannabeFireFox, Ice Dragon3, Blood Zephyr, Wolley Niar, angelz2, yro, and A kira.**

**Jaa ne!**


	8. Subjective Truths

_Your rulers are rebels,  
__Your companions theives...  
__They do not defend the cause of the fatherless_.-Isaiah 1:23

* * *

Iruka Umino was supposed to be a normal Chuunin. He had an impressive amount of C and D class missions to his name due to his almost four years as a Genin, and even a few low B missions. There was nothing else impressive about him. Except he'd avoided an ANBU squad, six Chuunin, broken into the Hokage's tower, escaped, and somehow shattered almost half the bones in a veteran ANBU's body. Something wasn't adding up.

Kakashi had returned to Konoha expecting to get his long-awaited and mandatory three-day break after running so many missions virtually back to back, but it wasn't meant to be. Technically Kakashi was free to do whatever he wanted for the next three days, but there was only one thing he felt he could do. He had to stop Iruka.

Iruka wasn't a huge problem to the Grand Council. They only saw him as a minor annoyance, even though he had managed to team up with two other shinobi and break into the Hokage's tower. Kakashi was both annoyed and intrigued by the fact Iruka hadn't been caught yet and had made two very interesting allies.

The fact Iruka had teamed up with two S-class missing-nin should have been enough to motivate the Grand Council to boost Iruka's capture to a higher priority, but it hadn't. One of the missing-nin had been identified as Itachi Uchiha, though that fact was being kept quiet, and the other was more tentatively identified as Hoshigaki Kisame from Kirigakure.

Kakashi didn't know how Iruka had fallen in with the two missing-nin, but there was the saying: 'Birds of a feather flock together.' All three were traitors to their villages. No one else seemed very worried about catching the rogue Chuunin, so Kakashi was going to do it himself.

The first thing Kakashi needed to do was figure out why Iruka hadn't been caught. Kakashi had little trouble getting clearance to see papers he normally wouldn't even be able to dream of getting his hands on. The Copy-nin was a hero again, doing double the missions of any other Jounin with his little genius Genin tagging along behind. The Grand Council was happy to let him dig through old paper work on the Uminos, and Kakashi was finding it very enlightening.

Kakashi had already discovered Iruka's parents were from Kirigakure. The two had been denied positions as Konoha shinobi, but Iruka's father, Tako, had worked as a medic at the hospital. Iruka's mother, Hideto, had been the Kiriga equivalent of ANBU, but had stayed at home to care for her son. She had also worked as a fish monger to supplement her husband's income.

It was all a little strange, considering Konoha didn't usually allow foreign shinobi to immigrate, but there had evidently been a little complication with a virus that had threatened to kill both Tako, Hideto, and the newly-born Iruka. Sandaime had always been a kind-hearted man, and Kakashi had no doubt that was the only reason the former Kiriga shinobi were allowed to live in Konoha.

Iruka had an entire file to himself, filled with complaints of pranks, and a few official reprimands from the police. Iruka, born in one of the guard-rooms at one of Konoha's gates, had been allowed to become a shinobi. He'd been placed on a Genin team when he was twelve, along with Ayame Sashimoto and Hayate Gekkou, but Ayame had discovered she was hemophobic six months after being made a Genin and left the cell. She had been replaced with none other than Itachi Uchiha.

Itachi and Iruka's history together might explain why the two had teamed up, but Kakashi had the feeling the two hadn't seen each other at all after they'd achieved the rank of Chuunin. The presence of Itachi, however, helped explain the higher-ranking missions Iruka had been on as a Genin. That had been a time when Konoha was low on shinobi, and a Genin team with a genius would be sent on higher-risk missions than normal.

Kakashi was surprised when he found a file of coded mission reports. The code was a variation of one ANBU used sometimes, and Kakashi soon had it broken. The first page was an up-to-date list of Iruka's missions, which was the same as his Genin record, save for the twelve A-rank missions that had been added to it. All twelve missions were basically the same in the fact that the blame for the mission was to be taken by Kiriga, and Iruka was the key element of that. Most of the missions were assassinations, and all had been successful.

By the time Kakashi finished going through all the files on Iruka he was somewhere between shocked, disgusted, and impressed. Sandaime had been using Iruka effectively and secretly for many years. Less than ten people ever knew Iruka had been trained to fight like a Kiriga shinobi by his parents, and only a few more people than that even knew Iruka's parents had been from Kiriga.

Kakashi needed to talk to someone who had been on a mission where Iruka had been allowed to use Kiriga techniques. It appeared Iruka needed express permission from the Hokage to use his parent's techniques on a mission, and Iruka had adhered faithfully to that rule. The problem with that was half the Konoha shinobi who had seen Iruka's Kiriga fighting were dead now.

Kakashi leafed back through some papers before he found the name of a man he knew was still alive: Genma Shiranui, Iruka's former Jounin instructor.

* * *

Genma was realizing there were many simple pleasures in life. Being able to move his toes and fingers after a two-week-long coma was one of them. He'd spent all morning wiggling his digits and being giddily happy that he could do something as simple as that. This time around he was going to get out of the hospital with no brain damage, temporary or permanent, and no physical therapy.

The only bad spot about all this was Genma had to stay in the hospital for another week. Normally he might have been able to just sneak out, but the nurse on duty refused to tell Genma which IV was what. She said one was pain medication, and the other was vital to Genma's life. Genma could do without the pain medication, which gave him a funny floaty feeling, but he knew better than to disregard the 'vital to your life' part of the nurse's speech. Genma liked life.

Genma wriggled his toes and watched in satisfaction as each one moved as it was told. It was one of the only things he could do. His chakra was still recovering, and Genma tired easily. He spent most of his time sleeping, or dozing. Lots of rest was supposed to help one get better right? Therefore sleeping as much as he could would get Genma out of the hospital faster.

The door opened, and Genma turned his head. He expected it to be his nurse, who was cute despite her tyrannical insistence Genma stay in the hospital so long. Genma also thought she was sweet on him, and with a little flirting he might be able to get her to drop a few days from his sentence. The door opened fully, and Genma frowned. Kakashi Hatake walked in, and even drugged as he was Genma couldn't mistake Kakashi for the cute nurse.

"You are not my nurse," Genma informed the man, who was carrying a file under his arm. Files meant paper work, and Genma hated paper work.

"I apologize for intruding, Genma," Kakashi said politely as he closed the door and walked over to Genma's bed. "I have a few questions for you."

Genma groaned. "Aoba filed the mission report, and if he messed it up he ca--"

"No, it's not about the mission," Kakashi interjected. He pulled the room's one chair up to Genma's bed and sat down. "It's about Iruka Umino."

Genma groaned again and levered himself up into a sitting position. "Just because I was his Jounin instructor doesn't mean I can control him. What has he done now?"

"You don't know?" Kakashi looked slightly surprised, which meant he was really surprised. Genma had worked with Kakashi once or twice over the years, and he knew how close faced the man was. A little bit of emotion showing on Kakashi's face meant the man was feeling a lot of whatever it was.

"I've been in a coma for the past two weeks, and I don't keep close tabs on the kid anymore," Genma replied.

It wasn't really much of a lie. Genma had only checked up on Iruka once or twice after both Hayate and the Sandaime's deaths to make sure he wasn't suicidal; Genma was too busy to do anymore than that. He hadn't liked the very subdued young man he'd found, and he had intended to visit his former student after he got out of the hospital. Iruka was the last remaining member of Genma's only Genin team, and after basically being the brat's mother for almost four years it was hard not to become at least a little attached.

Kakashi cleared his throat, and Genma got the feeling whatever trouble Iruka was in was a lot worse than pranking the chief of police or drawing mustaches on portraits of important political figures. He prepared himself for the worst as Kakashi began to speak, but the worst wasn't enough. Kakashi gave out the details of Iruka's betrayal with such a lack of emotion Genma could tell the man thought Iruka was the worst sort of person there was. Genma stayed silent until Kakashi finished his woe-filled tale.

Genma sighed and leaned back against his pillow. "Being in a come for two weeks certainly puts one out of the loop, but that sounds like Iruka all right. I think you're right and he did snap right at the beginning. He never would have used Kiri……the sort of jutsu he did to get away if he hadn't."

Kakashi gave Genma a measuring look. "You're not surprised?"

"I am, but it makes sense. Iruka was Sandaime's shinobi through and through. He believed the old man could do no wrong, and Sandaime entrusted the schooling of Konoha's future to Iruka. It's natural that he'd take that very seriously. There's no way he would choose Konoha over one of his students and besides..." Genma trailed off to grab the glass of water by his bed and take a few sips.

"Besides?" Kakashi urged.

"Iruka and Naruto are one and the same. Both of them have people who'd like to see that they never became shinobi or died in horrible accidents. They're outcasts with no family and no one who can fully understand what it's like but each other. 'Birds of a feather', _ne_?" Genma closed his eyes. "What did you come to ask me, Kakashi?"

"How formidable is Iruka when his uses Kiriga jutsu?" Kakashi asked calmly.

Genma jumped, and his eyes snapped open. "You've been digging deep into some very secret files, haven't you?"

"I did, and I found that on almost all of his A-class missions you accompanied Iruka. It stands to reason you would know best what he is capable of," Kakashi replied lightly. He continued looking at Genma intently, and Genma knew he had to answer.

"It depended on what we were doing. Iruka's _not_ very stealthy, and he was better at attacking someone head on than sneaking up from behind. He was an excellent fighter when he was outnumbered. Except..." Genma paused. "When he was a Genin and things got bad Iruka blanked out. I guess it was something like a berserker rage, and he never quite remembered what happened afterwards. That was when he was most dangerous to both his teammates and his enemies. He never actually hurt one of his teammates, but he came close a few times.

"It didn't happen as much after he became a Chuunin, but there were times when I..." Genma trailed off with a cough. He wasn't used to talking so much, and he was beginning to ramble. He blamed the unneeded pain medication that was steadily dripping into him. He was almost ready to pull out one of the drips and hope it was the right one. Kakashi would probably get the nurse before Genma died. Probably.

"Is he strong enough to be Jounin when he's using Kiriga techniques?" Kakashi pressed, dragging Genma's mind back to the matter at hand.

Genma shrugged. "Maybe, but that was never an issue. He was forbidden from rising any higher than Chuunin, and he was lucky he wasn't permanently made a civilian. He's killed a fair number of Jounin from other villages, if that's what you mean. Is that all you want to ask me?"

Kakashi was silent for a while, and then he stood. "Can you describe some of Iruka's Kiriga techniques?"

Genma smiled. He was feeling fuzzy and sleepy again. Drained chakra combined with pain medication was horribly annoying. "It depends on if he wanted to kill or heal, but it was like water, or mist. It was smooth, flowing, and deceptively calm..." Genma didn't hear what Kakashi said after that. He was asleep.

* * *

Sasuke sat alone on his counter and looked out at the beginnings of the sunset. He was getting used to being alone again, and he was starting to cherish what little time he had to himself. He used to be terrified of being left alone. Right after..._it_ happened he couldn't stand to be left alone in a room. He also couldn't stand staying in the dark. Now it was different.

Sasuke was now was constantly being checked up on by people. He was always stuck running missions with Kakashi. The man was teaching Sasuke all he knew about the Sharingan, but Sasuke was actually learning how to use his Sharingan mostly by himself with the help of his family's old scrolls. Kakashi was really just there to make sure Sasuke didn't over-exert himself and die or permanently injure his Sharingan.

Kakashi had come by only minutes ago to tell Sasuke he was going off on another solo mission. Sasuke knew it was a lie. Kakashi was on his mandatory three day break from missions, and it was _illegal_ for him to run any missions before his three days were up, unless a state of emergency was declared. After a shinobi ran so many missions back-to-back he was required to take a three or more day break. Even Genin got a three day break from their C and D rank missions.

Sasuke gritted his teeth. Once again Kakashi had assumed Sasuke would believe his lie just because he was young. Sasuke hated being treated like a child. People coddled him all the time. Any other Genin might have been told where Kakashi was going, but not Sasuke. Poor little Sasuke-chan needed to have his hand held and be protected from the cruel, cruel world.

Sasuke snorted at the thought. There wasn't much else the world could do to him. He'd seen all his relatives slaughtered in the streets like pigs, and watched his brother kill his parents over and over in his mind. He'd almost been killed numerous times, and he'd killed many people. He lived to kill the brother he had idolized. His life was hardly sheltered, but people insisted on treating him like a fragile child.

Sasuke gripped the seal mark on his neck. He wasn't a child, and he most definitely wasn't frail. He was strong. He was grown. He could take care of himself, and he needed no one to watch out for him. He didn't want anyone to watch out for him. He was strong and getting stronger every day. He was an Uchiha, and Uchiha were never weak. It was impossible.

Sasuke jumped as he heard the stove hissing, and rushed to save his dinner from burning.

* * *

**A/N:Agh! Look how short it is! You waited a whole week and you got this little bit of stuff Iruka isn't even in! Aren't you so digusted? I am. I hate this chapter. Except for Genma. **

**Okay, done with that, now, there is something you all need to know. If you want to read the story of Iruka's AU Genin team then you should search for _Dance With Me: Poison and Remedy_ by Miranda Crystal-Bearer(or go to my favorite authors and find her there). I know you all love Iruka, so you should go read it. **

**Thanks to the reviewers new and old:Blood Zpehyr, xXxjustbecausexXx, icestar-comet-moon, biacebaolck, hedwig's angry inch, Ally Plz, dontmakemeblush, VescaWithoutWings, WannabeFireFox, Blue the Bloody Baron, Miranda Crystal-Bearer, RedTheRetard, Nicole Miklos, Esoretic Memories, A kira, palinana, Ice Dragon 3, a.noni, and yro!**

**Holy CRAP! Nineteen reviews? You know I love you guys!**

**Jaa ne!**


	9. Fighting Words

_I felt the blisters,  
__Below the words,  
__A universe waiting to explode,  
__And I felt the words crawl out of my skull,  
__And now you know,  
__Exactly what you should,  
__Don't bother pretending I seem fine,  
__I like that I'm a mess,  
__I can't stand it much longer in my head,  
__I think it's time for bullets._-So So Suicide-Finger Eleven

* * *

Iruka found it odd to think of life on the run with two missing-nin as having a routine. Itachi spent most of his time dissecting the scroll they had stolen from Konoha, and drawing different arrays in the dirt. Genius he was, but he had never been interested in sealing, summoning, and the like. Kisame insisted on sparring almost daily with Iruka, and Iruka had to admit that along with bruises he was getting better. His reflexes were sharper, and he was once again becoming a deadly shinobi.

Iruka insisted, much to Itachi's amusement and Kisame's consternation, on setting out instant ramen for the Kyuubi. Iruka was convinced now more than ever the Kyuubi was following them, and something was eating the instant ramen Iruka left out. The first bowl had completely disappeared, as had the next few, but last time the bowl had only had a few teeth marks on it and been a little melted. The cheap, bamboo chopsticks had been missing, but the ramen had been eaten.

Iruka supposed it was a routine, though it felt so strange and so alien Iruka had a hard time sticking the word 'routine' to his actions. At least this routine had him thinking and made him feel alive again. At least he was trying to save a child instead of sending children off to their deaths.

"You're making more ramen?" Kisame asked from where he was almost sprawled along a branch. The three shinobi rested in the trees as often as they rested on the ground. Iruka was getting used to it. Yet another strange thing that was becoming 'routine' to him.

"_Hai_, I hope Naruto's not eating the chopsticks," Iruka said with a grimace.

"Fiber is good for you," Itachi intoned from where he was supposedly sleeping. His thin arms were tucked across his chest and his head was bowed.

"I don't think bamboo counts as fiber," Iruka replied with a grimace. He turned his concentration back to the Styrofoam bowl in his hand. The water was boiling, and it was easy to keep it that way. He could let his mind wander a bit…… as much as he ever let it wander these days.

"I should stay and wait for Naruto to come eat." Iruka spoke half to himself. Itachi opened an eye to look at Iruka, and Kisame snorted.

"Last time you got close to the Kyuubi it almost burnt your cheek off, and now you want to get near it while it's eating?" Kisame shook his head. "If you want to die that badly I'll be happy to do it myself, _Oikawa-chan_."

Iruka would have glared at Kisame if he wasn't so wary of the fish-man. "I didn't mean down by the bowl. I just want to be close enough to see him eat it."

"To see if your ramen is helping Naruto keep what awareness he has?" Itachi pressed gently.

Iruka nodded and looked down at the bubbling water. "Yeah," Iruka grinned. "And to see if he's actually eating the chopsticks or if the Kyuubi's chakra is just burning them up!" It was the closest thing to humor Iruka had tried in months. Itachi didn't even twitch, and Kisame looked amused, though he was amused by Iruka and not what Iruka had said. Iruka was fine with that. He suspected the longer he amused Kisame the longer he would live.

* * *

As always Iruka carefully placed the chopsticks across the steaming mouth of the Styrofoam bowl, but this time he didn't hurry on his way. He moved back and leapt up into the fork of a tree he had found earlier. Iruka settled himself down to wait for the Kyuubi feeling more cheerful than he had any right to feel, though it was complicated with a knot of anxiety in his stomach. He wanted, maybe needed, to see if the ramen brought out any Naruto-qualities in the Kyuubi, and he was afraid it wouldn't.

Maybe Naruto was already too far gone to be saved.

Iruka scowled at the stray thought. That was no way to think! He _knew_ he could still save Naruto. He knew he could. He couldn't base that knowledge on anything other than a general feeling. The faint ring of purple came to mind whenever Iruka thought about it, and the fact that the Kyuubi listened to him. Why would the Kyuubi listen to a lowly Academy teacher? It wouldn't, but Naruto would.

Iruka settled into his perch and felt the bark biting into him through his clothes. He was used to stake-outs and long waits in uncomfortable places. All shinobi were. It went along with the job as killing did. When people thought of shinobi they thought of death and people hiding in shadows.

This waiting had a different feel to it. Before the waiting in the dark had been for Konoha, and the outcome hadn't meant more to Iruka than his life or the success of the mission. This time he was waiting with baited breath for proof of Naruto. That was much nearer to him than anything else had ever been. With that anxious feeling weighing on him Iruka waited.

It would have been impossible for Iruka to tell how long he waited if it hadn't been for the sun. He sat aware but unthinking while the sun snuck across the sky. Thinking would mean acknowledging that waiting was intolerable.

Iruka was taken by surprise as the Kyuubi slid out from behind a tree and advanced on the ramen bowl. It was hard to look straight at the Kyuubi, and even from his distant vantage point Iruka felt sweat break out all over his skin. His eyes refused to focus on the glowing red chakra, but if he looked just to the side of the Kyuubi he could watch it, even if it did hurt his eyes.

A strong whiff of the Kyuubi made his nose sting and he almost sneezed. The whole wood smelled of the Kyuubi, but that was a faint odor compared to the scent that followed directly in the Kyuubi's wake. Iruka moved enough to pull the neck of his shirt up far enough to cover his nose and mouth and watched.

The Kyuubi approached the ramen bowl with a casual grace that reminded Iruka of a cat. It sat, or maybe just stopped. It was hard to tell exactly what the Kyuubi was doing since Iruka couldn't look directly at it. The Kyuubi cocked its head and its hands moved. Iruka saw the clawed hands press together for a moment and the Kyuubi's lips moved. Iruka couldn't hear anything, but his heart leapt.

The Kyuubi grabbed the chopsticks and began shoving ramen into its mouth like a starving man. Naruto was a hasty eater, but he'd never managed that sort of animalistic frenzy when he ate. Iruka heart sank a little, but he watched on. The chopsticks were being used, and Iruka didn't think kitsune had any need for chopsticks.

It was both disheartening and encouraging to watch the ramen being eaten. Iruka couldn't look directly at the Kyuubi, and he couldn't tell exactly what the creature was doing. He could be missing important but subtle nuances of Naruto. He could be imagining the ones he saw now.

Iruka tried to look straight at the Kyuubi, but it didn't work. His eyes were repelled by the glowing chakra and skittered away to focus on something else. Trying to look made pain stab though his head and eyes, and made him start to shake. The Kyuubi simply wasn't meant to be looked at, and Iruka had to settle for watching it out of the corner of his eye.

The ramen was gone now, but Iruka had managed to convince himself that the way the Kyuubi sat while it ate was definitely the way Naruto sat while he ate ramen. There was no doubt about it, and it cheered Iruka. Ramen was something Naruto loved, and it was helping him a little, at least.

The Kyuubi stood and looked up. Iruka felt the red eyed gaze touch him, and even though the Kyuubi was far away his heart thundered. The Kyuubi slowly grinned. It wasn't the wild, feral grin Iruka expected. Even as far away as he was he could see the Kyuubi's whole mouth stretched out in a vibrant grin and saw the creature's eyes crinkle at the corners. The Kyuubi raised one hand and gave it a small finger-splayed wave before turning and loping back into the woods on all fours.

Iruka nearly fell from his tree when he was finally able to move. He went slowly down the tree and gently jogged over to where the ramen bowl lay. It still had teeth marks on it, and it was burnt. Iruka felt a goofy grin that tugged at the scar on his cheek break out on his face when he saw the chopsticks, slightly charred and splintered, set on top of the ramen bowl.

* * *

Iruka didn't go immediately back to join Kisame and Itachi. He wanted to savor the moment he'd just witnessed. He felt rejuvenated and giddy. After six months of believing Naruto gone he'd just seen amazing proof that he wasn't.

Iruka sat leaning up against a tree and waiting to come down off his high. He didn't want to return to Kisame and Itachi unable to not smile like an idiot whenever he thought about ramen or Naruto or chopsticks or anything at all. Iruka turned the slightly mangled ramen bowl over in his hands and grinned. He couldn't help it.

"Betrayal seems to suit you well," a calm voice said. Iruka instantly had a handful of kunai ready in his right hand and whipped around. The great copy-nin Kakashi stood only a few yards away, leaning casually against a tree. Iruka wondered how Kakashi had found him.

Iruka rose slowly from his crouched position and kept his kunai out. Something about Kakashi's stance put Iruka on edge. Iruka didn't move away or toward his former comrade and waited for Kakashi to move.

"You seem to be doing well for yourself." Kakashi didn't even blink as he stared at Iruka. It put the hair on the back of Iruka's neck up.

"I'm still alive, if that's what you mean," Iruka replied slowly. He was back in his battered Konoha jumpsuit, which was missing all of one sleeve, half of another, and half of a leg. His new scar was still red, and he had bruises and abrasions up and down his arms and legs from sparring with Kisame.

Kakashi didn't move from his tree, but Iruka could feel the man getting ready for something. Kakashi spoke instead of attacking. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised you betrayed Konoha, considering your heritage."

So Kakashi had done some digging. _'My heritage of what? Of blood-thirsty ancestors?'_ No, Kakashi meant Iruka's parents. Iruka grown up hearing how his parents had escaped from Kirigakure, but it had rarely struck him as betrayal. It was something his parents had to do, and Iruka had been young enough to believe his parents could do no wrong. It sounded like betrayal, but it had been something they had to do.

His mother, even pregnant as she was, couldn't let a fat, old politician get away with insulting her and have her reputation as a shinobi remain intact. She had to kill him, but killing him made her an 'enemy'. She had to leave Kirigakure, and her husband had to go with her. They became legends of Kirigakure, not traitors.

"My parents were always faithful to Konoha," Iruka said. His body was tensed and ready.

"They were never given a chance to be anything but be faithful," Kakashi pointed out.

"They left _'Kaa-san_ alone in a house with sharp objects. She could have started a massacre at any moment," Iruka countered, more wary and confused than anything else. Had Kakashi come to kill him? Capture him? In either case the man should have just attacked instead of stopping to talk.

Kakashi seemed to relax more against his tree. "No, she couldn't have. You were there in the house, and she couldn't let anything happen to you, could she? You were her only child, after all."

Iruka almost snorted. His mother would have dragged him along for the ride if she'd planned a massacre. Iruka had loved his mother dearly. She had been an excellent shinobi, but his father had always joked she'd never been meant to be a mother. "My parents had nothing to do with my actions, Kakashi. They've been dead for twelve years now."

"Killed by the creature that you're trying to save," Kakashi's tone was light and speculative, but Iruka felt the bite of the words.

"Naruto didn't kill them," Iruka almost growled. His hands tightened on his kunai. What was Kakashi after?

"Naruto's gone. I was talking about the Kyuubi." Kakashi shifted, and Iruka almost jumped.

Iruka's eyes narrowed. "Naruto's not gone, and you know it. Why else would I be used as bait to lure the Kyuubi into a trap? If Naruto is gone any other shinobi would have done, but they needed me because Naruto is still alive."

"Have you ever considered the fact you might have just become too much of a liability to Konoha? You're a very dangerous individual, Iruka Umino. Your police record is extensive, and the Hyuuga had a very... sobering case against you a few years ago. Maybe it was just time to get rid of a threat," Kakashi reasoned.

"Then why did they use you too, Kakashi? Why place the great Hatake in a position where he could be ripped apart?" Iruka saw Kakashi's mangled left arm twitch. Iruka vaguely remembered hearing about the injury when it happened. He hadn't paid much attention to it at the time, but what had he paid attention to at that time?

"I volunteered," Kakashi replied.

"Because you were guilty?" Iruka pressed, trying to grab control of the words they exchanged. What was the purpose of them? Was there a purpose? Were they a trap?

"Doing your duty doesn't mean you're guilty, Iruka. It means you know where your place is," Kakashi blinked with exaggerated slowness. "Are you even sure Naruto is still alive? Do you know how many people he's killed?"

"It doesn't matter. It wasn't Naruto; it was the Kyuubi," Iruka was growling now. He didn't want to hear. He didn't want to _know_. Too many had died already. Iruka didn't want to know the number.

"Thirty-six shinobi are dead because of the Kyuubi, Iruka. Fifteen civilians are dead too. That's forty-nine people." Kakashi's tone was accusing. 'Look what Naruto did wrong. '

"It isn't his fault! Konoha messed with the Yondiame's seal. Naruto had nothing to do with killing people. It was the Kyuubi," Iruka started to step forward and stopped. He clenched his jaw shut and watched Kakashi.

"So Naruto is gone and the Kyuubi is in control of his body," Kakashi said. "Shouldn't you be doing Naruto a favor and killing his body so the Kyuubi can't use him anymore?"

Iruka's almost recoiled from at Kakashi's words. "He's not gone. Naruto is still alive, and I'm going to put him back in control of his body. "

"How, and is that even possible? How do you know there's enough of Naruto to salvage?" Kakashi asked.

"I'm going to try anyway. It's wrong to kill him because you think he's gone, or you think getting him back in control is impossible. He's a Konoha shinobi too, Kakashi. Where's your loyalty to him?" Iruka spat. He was mad now. Was that the point of this talk?

Kakashi almost flinched and his voice held a little strain. "Konoha comes before any one shinobi. Hundreds of people rely on the shinobi of our village for protection, and the Kyuubi is putting them all in danger."

Iruka grinned and thought of the ramen bowl behind him. "Then I choose Naruto over them. Someone has to, and how do you know killing Naruto won't release the Kyuubi completely?"

"It's a risk we have to take," Kakashi sounded at ease with the thought. Did that mean Konoha was prepared if that happened? How could one prepare for a demon attacking? Kakashi continued speaking. "How do you know Naruto wants to live after the Kyuubi has killed forty-nine people with his body?"

"It's not his fault, and that's not my call to make. I won't decide if he wants to live or die for him." Iruka glared at Kakashi. "Konoha got what it deserved for trying to meddle with things better left alone."

"Well, I can see there's no reasoning with you." Kakashi straightened and tugged up his _hitai-ate. _"Iruka Umino, you can consider yourself a missing-nin from now on, and an official traitor of Konoha."

"If Konoha is turning into a place where children are abandoned to monsters, I'll be glad to be disassociate myself with it." Iruka grinned tightly, and eased a handful of kunai into his left hand. He knew what was coming now. Kakashi moved, and Iruka felt death brush by him.

* * *

**A/N:Whooo! Fight, fight, fight! Okay, I know you're all thinking 'wow you made Kakashi a jerk.' but just wait it out and something might be explained to you. **

**Over the next week I'm going to be going back and messing with previous chapters. It's nothing you have to read. I'm switching the names around so the last name is first and removing the italics from some words. Aslo there are a few typos that need to be fixed. The regular update will occur next weekend, and I'm sure ya'll're glad about that. I suppose this was a little bit of a cliff hanger...**

**As always, thanks so so so much to all the reviewers:MSYOU, RedTheRetard, Nicole Miklos, a.noni, WannabeFireFox, Riyoku-kun, sasoru-kun, Ally Plz, Ice Dragon3, Miranda Crystal-Bearer, Esoretic Memories, A kira, icestar-comet-moon**

**Jaa ne**


	10. Dying Men

_We're going down, down in an earlier round,  
__And Sugar we're going down swinging,  
__I'll be your number one with a bullet,  
__A loaded God complex,  
__Cock it and pull it,  
__Am I more than you bargained for yet?-_ Sugar We're Going Down-Fallout Boys

* * *

His mouth tasted different. The acrid taste of old blood was gone, as well as the taste of burnt flesh. The taste in his mouth was familiar. It was salty and good. It was comfort. It was...

_Ramen_. The word brought a torrent of half-formed memories and a rush of comfort and safety. Something about ramen said 'I'm safe'. There's something about the taste in his mouth that put him at ease and made him want more. Ramen made him feel safe again.

But what did he need to be safe from? Nothing could harm him. The weak humans that crept through the woods were easy to deal with, though boring. None of them even started to be a challenge, let alone something that could harm him. There was no reason for comfort and safety. He needed neither of those things. They were useless to him.

There was something else. It was a smell--a touch--a memory. It was the smell of salt and clean. It was a calm deep voice speaking to him gently when all the other voices were harsh and scolding. It was a gentle, calloused hand smoothing a band-aid over a scrape. It was food inside a tummy that had never been so warm and full before. It was...

Foolish, unnecessary. He needed none of these things. He especially didn't need someone to _give_ them to him. He'd never been weak or starved for attention. He'd never craved touch or approval from anyone. He needed only himself and wanted only himself. Anything else was useless to him.

But it wasn't. He struggled to remember something.

Remembering weakness was useless. He had no weakness.

It wasn't weak. It was important. It was hope. It was food. It was comfort. It was safety. It was a reason.

"Ruka-sensei," Naruto gasped out. He looked around wildly. He could smell the lingering odor of Iruka from somewhere. He sniffed, but the smell was too faint. He couldn't tell where it came from, and that was maddening. Iruka was near, but where? Where was he? "Iruka-sensei?"

_Fighting_. Naruto felt the growl rising up from his chest. There was a fight going on. He could feel the spikes of chakra. One was Iruka, and one wasn't. Iruka was in a fight.

Naruto growled again, and sank back into the bloodlust of the Kyuubi. Fight. He would fight. He'd show the pesky humans what a real fight was. He'd kill them both. He hadn't killed in a while...

_**NO! **_He wouldn't kill Iruka. He'd never kill Iruka. No one was going to kill Iruka. He'd_ kill _anyone who tried. The Kyuubi growled in agreement.

* * *

Maybe Kisame's attempts to 'dig the Kiriga shinobi' out of Iruka had actually worked. Iruka fell immediately to Kiriga techniques as Kakashi attacked. Kakashi showed no surprise at this. Iruka managed to deflect the first few attacks before the two broke apart.

Iruka didn't run or try to circle Kakashi. He stood firmly with his arms held in front of him. Chakra rolled through his limbs, and Iruka was beginning to feel terribly alive again. His heart-beat was pounding in his ears and he knew one thing: Kakashi was trying to kill him, and that made Iruka want to laugh.

Kakashi's hands flashed through seals, and Iruka felt thousands of kunai and shuriken pierce his flesh. They ripped through his tendons and muscles, and struck deep into vital organs. He was mortally wounded, crippled, and beaten. He was streaming blood and falling over, he couldn't support his own weight--

_Genjutsu!_ Iruka realized. He snatched his teeth down and bit into his bottom lip. Real pain made it easy to shake off the fake pain. Iruka then received a solid punch in the gut from Kakashi. Kakashi nearly got his arm broken by Iruka's chakra-enhanced knife strike. The two broke apart, and Iruka was covered in sweat from the genjutsu.

Genjutsu was wasted on Iruka. Kakashi wasn't excellent at genjutsu, and Iruka had spent the last six years teaching all the ways to recognize genjutsu. Now that Iruka knew what Kakashi's chakra felt like--bright white tinged copper like lightning--he wouldn't fall prey to another genjutsu. It was down to ninjutsu and taijutsu.

Kakashi came at Iruka, and the two traded blows. Iruka had the advantage of knowing Konoha taijutsu well, and using a style Kakashi was unfamiliar with. It almost negated Kakashi's extra experience. The two traded blows and blocks in a flurry of chakra-enhanced motion. Iruka stopped thinking and focused on killing Kakashi before he got himself killed.

The two leapt apart again, and Iruka formed three clones pulling water from the air around him and the damp leaves under him. Kakashi answered with his own clones. Iruka dispelled one of Kakashi's clones with a kunai and jumped away as one of his own clones exploded in a mass of steam and hot water. The second followed the first's example, and then the third. Iruka attatched himself to a dead tree and waited for the steam to clear. As soon as it did he raced down the tree towards the drenched and cloneless Kakashi.

Iruka only managed to cut Kakashi's right arm, which was the man's only good arm. His left arm still moved, but it was weakened. They traded more blows, and Kakashi was getting the hang of avioding Iruka's Kiriga taijutsu. Iruka cursed the Sharingan as he received a stinging blow to his shoulder and jumped away again.

This fight was going to drag on for hours. They were almost equals now. Kakashi was a little faster, but Iruka had more power and a better sense of balance. He was also used to the shifting leaves that covered the forest floor. But every advantage Iruka had was negated by an equal or greater advantage Kakashi had.

_Then don't think about that, just fight!_ Iruka thought almost angrily as he received a glancing blow to his head. He let instinct and the flow of battle carry him away.

* * *

Itachi spent much of his time resting, if he could. Actually his body was resting, and his mind was a whirr of activity. Plots, strategies, and other things flew through Itachi's mind. Now he was mostly thinking of summoning and sealing jutsu. He was picking through what he knew and trying to decide what kind of sealing jutsu would be needed to smoosh the Kyuubi back into its vessel.

Kisame landed on Itachi's branch, shaking it. The Uchiha didn't even twitch. He'd known Kisame had been approaching him for some time now. His partner had been trying to get some reaction out of Itachi by landing so heavily on the branch, but, as always, it didn't work.

"Enjoy your walk?" Itachi asked. While the Uchiha could sit still for hours Kisame preferred to keep moving. Sometimes the man was a little too much like a shark for his own good.

"As always, but it's boring here," Kisame scuffed his shoes on the bark, and Itachi reluctantly opened his eyes and looked up.

"_Nani_?" Itachi finally asked as Kisame remained silent. The man looked secretive.

"How important do you think Oikawa-chan is to our mission?" Kisame asked in what was trying to be a casual tone. It wasn't. Kisame was as transparent as Itachi was opaque.

"Very. We _might_ be able to do without him, but if we can contain the Kyuubi in its vessel before we take it back to the headquarters it will be _much_ easier," Itachi closed his eyes again. "In short you may _not_ eat him. It would be a waste of good resources."

Kisame snorted. The two had a very strange relationship. Kisame was practically ancient for a missing-nin, and Itachi was young for even a normal shinobi. Itachi was still the decision maker, but only because Kisame knew Itachi had a better mind for planning than he did. So Kisame, Itachi's senior by many years, deferred to the boy genius when killing wouldn't solve everything.

Kisame scratched at his gills. "What if someone else kills him?"

"I doubt the Kyuubi will..." Itachi trailed off and opened his eyes again. "What did you see?"

"Nothing much. They were moving pretty fast," Kisame said blithely. He was trying to nettle Itachi into a temper. The man loved to know he was possibly the _only_ person who knew how to push Uchiha Itachi's buttons, and he did it rather well.

"Kisame," Itachi kept his voice level and rose to his feet. He was almost eye-level with Kisame's elbow. "Who is Iruka fighting?" Iruka had been gone a long time but Itachi had assumed the former Leaf-nin had simply been overwhelmed by whatever he'd seen the Kyuubi do and didn't want to face Kisame and Itachi yet. He should have been more cautious.

"Oh, no one really," Kisame shrugged. "I'm sure Oikawa-chan will do fine."

Itachi knotted his hands into fists. There was one way to get Kisame to tell Itachi what he wanted right now, and as much as Itachi hated to do it he did it anyway. "Kisame!" Itachi snapped. "Tell me who Iruka is fighting before I melt that smirk off your scaly face!"

Kisame's smirk widened and showed teeth. "Hatake Kakashi."

"_WHAT!_" Itachi's emotion was real now. He felt a cold stab of dread. There went his easy way out. "And you didn't stop them?"

"No, don't you think Oikawa-chan can take him?" Kisame needled.

"No, he can't," Itachi stated flatly. "C'mon Kisame, we're going to break up that fight up, and you'd better hope that Iruka is still alive."

"Oh, I don't doubt that," Kisame chuckled. "You really think he'll lose?"

"Kakashi is going to paint the forest red with his blood," Itachi almost snapped.

Then the sudden and uncharacteristic flare of emotion was gone, and he was his normal indifferent self. "Come on." Itachi jumped off through the trees and Kisame followed, still smug. If Iruka got killed Itachi decided he really would melt Kisame's face, or at least try to.

* * *

Sweat poured off Iruka. Hair stuck to his face. His feet shifted on the fallen leaves as he drew back from Kakashi once again. This was a stale mate, but it wouldn't be that much longer. He needed some way to end this fast. The longer this went on the better Kakashi seemed to do. Even with a mangled arm he was a formidable opponent.

Kakashi got past Iruka's guard, and the punch to Iruka's gut sent him flying. He tumbled across the forest's deadfall and slid to a stop. He lay gasping, pain stabbing deep into him. He tasted blood in his mouth, and he vomited. He had seconds before Kakashi would be on him, and if he didn't get up he'd be dead.

Dead before he got Naruto back. He couldn't do that. He couldn't leave the Kyuubi in control of Naruto's body. He wouldn't. He had to get Naruto back. He had to live. Kakashi had to die, but how?

Iruka jerked up to his feet and jumped away from Kakashi's kick. It had been meant to take him in the face, and with as much chakra as Kakashi had put into the kick Iruka wouldn't have had a face left. The best medic in Konoha wouldn't have been able to save him then.

_Medic!_ Iruka felt a wicked grin break out on his face. He threw his last five kunai at Kakashi, and put more distance between himself and his opponent. Iruka knew how he could win; now he only needed to get his hands on Kakashi's chest without getting killed. That would be the end of this fight, if Iruka could manage it. All his previous blows had landed well away from Kakashi's torso.

Kakashi had paused. He looked at Iruka and gave his head a little toss. The man's white hair was sticking to his face worse than Iruka's was; Iruka's exploding clones had thoroughly drenched the man earlier. Iruka felt his heart pound at the thought of finishing the fight, and maybe, just maybe, at the thought of killing Kakashi.

Kakashi had evidently decided this fight had gone on too long. His hands flipped through signs and Iruka knew what was happening before he heard the tell-tale sound. The silent forest was suddenly alive with the voices of dying birds. Chakra crackled and enveloped Kakashi's hand. The leaves around him swirled away from the chirping mass of electric chakra.

"Chidori," Iruka gasped. He'd never actually seen it, but he'd heard of it. It was almost as legendary as Kakashi.

Kakashi charged; the chidori was held back, scattering leaves with a crackling rush behind Kakashi. The speed at which the man came at Iruka was amazing. The chidori dazzled the eye and made it almost impossible to see the charging man. It was almost like trying to look directly at the Kyuubi. Iruka couldn't see Kakashi well enough to dodge. He probably couldn't move fast enough to get out of the way in time.

_So stand and fight!_ Iruka growled to himself. Kakashi was almost on him. Iruka's hands began forming seals. He sank down into a fighting crouch and took a bolt of lightning straight through his torso.

The force of Kakashi's blow carried them up against a tree. Iruka's shoulder slammed into the tree with enough force to break several bones, and he could only wonder if Kakashi's hand was broken. It had to have at least skimmed the tree. Iruka gagged and choked on the blood from his bitten tongue that filled his mouth and got a glimpse of his own torso. Kakashi's arm was stuck high through his abdomen, right under Iruka's ribs, but there was no blood. The chidori had cauterized the wound, but Iruka was missing several_ very_ important organ pieces right now, like most of his stomach and part of his liver and probably a kidney and possibly his spleen.

Iruka jerked his head up, hitting it against the tree behind him. Kakashi stared straight at him, his eyes caught in a wide-open stare of surprise. Iruka's trembling hands dropped away from Kakashi's chest, and he watched the water begin to drain from Kakashi's nose and mouth, darkening the mask covering his features. The water was stained pink with blood as it ran off his chin. Kakashi's face changed very little as the life drained from his eyes.

Kakashi crumpled, pulling his arm from Iruka's stomach. Iruka knew it must have hurt, but he couldn't feel the pain. It was a bad sign. The electrical charge of the chidori had probably fried his nervous system as well as most of his internal organs. Kakashi flopped lifelessly to the ground, and Iruka leaned against the tree and trembled. He managed five staggering steps before he collapsed.

He could see Kakashi's body, and he felt a twinge of regret. The man had been a fine shinobi. It was a shame to see him fall in a place like this to someone who had, until recently, been his comrade. Too many good shinobi were now dead.

_You're about to be one of them_. Iruka reminded himself bitterly. His death would be a longer, more painful one than Kakashi's. Iruka had pulled water from the man's body tissue into his lungs, drowning him and causing him to fall unconscious in seconds. The man wasn't dead _yet_, but he would be soon. At least he was unconscious and couldn't think about how he was minutes away from death.

Iruka had failed. He was dying and the Kyuubi still had control of Naruto's body. He was dying. He was dying. He had failed Naruto. Betrayed him. Kakashi had been right. Iruka was just a traitor. He deserved death...except his death was his betrayal.

Iruka almost screamed as pain came back to him. It pulled him down faster than before, and forced darkness into his vision. He tried to fight it, but he knew it was useless. He was going to die, and there was no denying it. He was already dead. No one could help him. No one could grow back bits of major organs. He was dead.

Something brushed against his right cheek--against his newest scar. The memory of burning rose into his mind, but he was too lost in other pain to pay it much attention. He was hallucinating. He was dying.

"You can't die. You can't. Please don't die. I--I need you. Don't die. Please, don't die." A hoarse voice Iruka could have been imagining rose and fell uncertainly. "I can save him? I can? How? How? Please don't die. Don't die."

Iruka wanted to say it was too late. He was dead. He could feel an odd numbness creeping up on him. He was dead now.

The voice that must have been imagined spoke again. "I won't let you die."

A hand touched his chest, and Iruka burst into flame.

* * *

**A/N: Ehehehe, this was jokingly called the 'anit-kakairu' chapter for obvious reasons, and my lovely editor and sister wanted me to put up a warning for 'findling of major organs'...yeah. I'm going to go hide now, if you don't mind.**

**Oh, and if you want to see Iruka with his new scar then you can! Miranda Crystal-Bearer/Ymris has drown the Burning Deadfall Iruka. There's a link on my profile page, and you should definately go see it(there's also a picture of Mist!Iruka in her gallery!).**

**Thanks to the reviewers: Mare, Esoretic Memories, biacebaolck, VascaWithoutWings, A kira, WannabeFireFox, CWolf2, Nicole Miklos, sasori-kun, Miranda Crystal-Bearer, IceDragon3, greengirl6, yro, a.noni, MSYOU, RedTheRetard, icestar-comet-moon, and Ally Plz!**

**Omygosh! I can't count! There's a reason I'm a writer ya'll! Thanks so much to a.noni for pointing out my mistake last chapter! I'll fix it as soon as I can! I'm going to hide again.**

**Jaa ne!**


	11. Lost Ones

_And the ground below grew colder,  
__As they put you down inside,  
__But the heartless wind kept blowing, blowing.  
__So now you're gone.-_Valentine's Day-Linkin Park

* * *

Hayate was first. Iruka laughed about it at first. It was inevitable that Hayate would die. He was a shinobi, after all, and sooner or later Death would stop being satisfied with the substitute lives of the people Hayate killed and take Hayate's own life. It was inevitable.

It still hurt. The news tore Iruka's heart from his chest and sent him home to hide for a day. He called for a substitute teacher, because he didn't think he could go through the day with his happy little students without being cruel to them or breaking down and scaring them all. Iruka was a teacher, hated and mean but strong and invincible. He couldn't let his students see him break.

Hayate had been Iruka's friend, maybe his only true friend. After Hayate lost his parents in the Kyuubi attack he and Iruka's friendship started. It was actually three days after the Kyuubi attack when Iruka found the racoon-eyed boy struggling down the ashy street. Coughing and choking on the ash in the air they forged the first strand of an unbreakable friendship. It was impossible to share such a horrific loss and time without forming some sort of bond.

After Iruka's parents died no one would sit by Iruka, who was now moody and violent. He pulled mean pranks on people that always humiliated and sometimes injured the people he played them on. No one wanted to sit next to him because he was dirty and frequently forgot to shower. How much could a ten-year-old be expected to do on his own?

Hayate sat with Iruka. Everyday the meek, clean, woeful little Haya-kun sat by Iruka the monster and helped him. He helped Iruka study for his tests, and even shared his lunch with Iruka when Iruka forgot his own. Iruka still remembered messily dividing up Hayate's peanut butter and honey sandwich into halves and sharing Hayate's little bag of chips and bottle of juice. Hayate was Iruka's best and only friend, and they got put on a Genin team together.

As Genin teammates the two became something like brothers, but brothers that had only each-other to depend on. They were a good team in a fight because they knew each-other so well, and it was hard for them to include the third member of their team. First it had been Ayame, who'd never really managed to work seamlessly with the boys since she fought too much with Iruka, and then it was Itachi, who was so small he had to be protected at first but in the end outstripped his older teammates.

When Hayate became Chuunin and was swamped with missions he found time to meet with Iruka. Sometimes they went out to eat. Sometimes they just sat and talked about old times and where the village was going. Even when Hayate became a Tokubetsu Jounin he spent time with Iruka, and claimed those were the best times of his day. Iruka believed him: Hayate never lied to Iruka.

Then Hayate died. It was a horrible ignominious death that no one could explain. He was ripped apart and left for the carrion crows in his own village. It was a horrible tragedy almost overlooked because of the excitement of the Chuunin Exam, and later it was over shadowed by other deaths. For Iruka it was devastating. He'd begun to think both he and Hayate would live to be old shinobi and retire to civilian life.

It wasn't meant to be.

Iruka crouched in front of the Hero's Stone, and blew out his candle. He honored Hayate's death in the same way he honored his parents' death--the Kirigakurage way. He'd dripped blood onto the open flame of a candle and prayed for Hayate's spirit to find rest and have no reason to walk in the living world. He knew Hayate would understand why.

Iruka slowly stood, and found he wasn't alone anymore. He smiled at the woman behind him, and fumbled for words. "It's good to see you again, Yuuago."

The ANBU looked at him, and smiled thinly. She heard how thick Iruka's voice was. This was the woman Hayate had loved. He'd whispered in Iruka's ear not a month before he was going to ask Uzuki Yuuago to marry him as soon as the Chuunin exam was done with. He'd wanted to share the rest of his life with her. Now they would never have that chance.

"Nothing's nice anymore, and I don't think it ever will be again," Yuuago said with feeling. "I expected you to be teaching today."

"I got the day off," Iruka explained. He knew how Yuuago felt, and he felt the same way. He knew it would fade though. It had after his parent's death and it would after Hayate's death too.

"That's lucky," Yuuago smiled bitterly. "I have a patrol to man in an hour." She placed the incense in her hand on the stone and lit it. It was a traditional Konoha offering to honor the dead. The smoke was sweet and pungent.

"I want to know who killed him," Yuuago hissed. "I want to kill them as they killed him. That's all I want." Yuuago's face was hard. Her eyes were red from crying, and Iruka knew she meant what she said. She wanted revenge. The only thing she wanted was revenge. Iruka a few years ago would have been just like her. Iruka in a few days might want revenge just as badly as she did, but right now he didn't.

Right now Iruka just wanted Hayate back. He wanted to see Hayate one more time. He wanted to share one more boyish night of laughing and sharing secrets as dawn approached. He wanted to spend one more afternoon grading papers while Hayate chattered and cleaned his sword. He wanted to share one more meal of peanut butter and honey sandwiches, juice, and salty chips. He just wanted Hayate back.

Yuuago made a noise like a sob, and Iruka wondered if she would break. He wondered if he would break. Yuuago did sob, and Iruka felt his chest tighten. Hayate was gone. Forever. There would be nothing more of him or from him. Iruka felt part of his life die.

Iruka was terrified that he would forget Hayate's face.

_"Hold him still!" Voices, noises, pain, cold. Where was Hayate? Hayate was dead._

_"Why? He's delusional. He won't stop struggling until he falls asleep again." A rough voice like a stormy sea._

_"He'll hurt himself. He needs to be still and recover." A green voice, strained and breathless. "You're stronger than me, come help." Small hands touched him and held him down. Kept him earthbound. Kept him from leaving to find Hayate._

_"A broken bone or two won't matter in his condition. Maybe you should let him break a leg so he won't run off again." The rough voice was joking. Larger hands held him down. He hurt. He screamed and struggled. He lashed out._

_"Agh!" The green voice swore. "Hold him down!" He lashed out again. Pain flared in his neck, and he died again._

Hayate's death was just the first blow. Iruka had less than a week to recover from his best friend's death before he was hit with another deadly blow. Sandaime-sama died. He was killed in a glorious battle with his former student, and he saved Konoha in the process. His funeral was attended all the shinobi of Konoha. Iruka was almost too sick with grief to go.

Sandaime had been something special to Iruka. After Iruka's parent's death Sandaime had insisted Iruka visit him about once a week to talk about how Iruka's week had gone. The two shared a cup of tea and Iruka, glad for any attention, babbled happily to the old man. Sandaime kept up his almost weekly invitation to tea until his death. It was amazing such a busy man had time to sit and drink tea with a little orphan brat every week. Sandaime had been an amazing person.

Sandaime had been Iruka's only permanent advisor. He was the one who offered Iruka advice he knew he could trust. He was the one constantly watching out for the little orphan who had no allies save another little orphan with a bad cough. He was the one who made sure Iruka had something to do, and was not forgotten. He was the one who gave Iruka his teacher's position and his students. Iruka loved his students.

Iruka stood in the pouring rain, glad it hid the tears that streamed down his face. He welcomed the numbing cold of the rain, hoping some of the numb would seep inside him. Iruka comforted his heart-broken students best he could, and tried not to show how much he hurt too. He didn't need anyone to know he felt he had lost his grandfather.

Iruka lost two pillars of his world in one short week, and he wanted to curl up and die. The only thing that kept him moving with his students. And Naruto. Naruto, as bright as his dandelion hair, came hopping into Iruka's thoughts whenever Iruka felt like jumping off a tall building. He was a reason to go on. Naruto needed support, and Iruka wouldn't leave Naruto without that.

Iruka had thrown himself into his students as well. He poured himself into them, and prayed for their safety every day. He had three more years to make efficient killers of these children, and he was going to do it. It sounded horrible, but it was the only way to keep them alive. Shinobi life was kill or be killed. There was no other way.

_Cold comfort slipped past his lips and down his burning throat. "I swear, if you die now you're a disgrace to all shinobi," the green voice whispered almost gently. "You're twice as stubborn as anyone I know, and I know Kisame. You will get better. The kid--Naruto, needs you. You die and he won't have you."_

_"Are you going to mention how much you need him to make your life easier?" The rough voice asked. Cold pressed against his forehead. He rolled away from it, but it was pressed onto him again. "You awake Oikawa-chan?"_

_"Making my life easier wouldn't motivate him to wake up, now would it? Trust me. Iruka has always had a soft spot for kids, and Naruto is, evidently, very special to him." The green voice was calm now. It was in control...of what? There was no control. Control was fake. They were all falling, and no one could fly._

_"So, now you're convinced he's not going to die you stop being so concerned? I didn't know you had a caring bone in your body, Itachi," the rough voice crackled with laughter._

_"Only for myself. My life will be harder if this idiot died, and I don't want that. I'm still as self-serving and selfish as always, Kisame." The green voice was vague. It was amused._

_"That's good to know. I was beginning to think you were going to turn soft on me." The rough voice held menace. Threat. Danger. Fight, no, too weak to fight, run. Too weak to run either. Fight anyway. Go down fighting. That was the way to do it. Fight until the end and even after that._

_"Sorry to disappoint you." The green voice wasn't bothered by the threat. "You should know me better than that. I was never soft, and I am incapable of turning soft. I was, to hear some tell it, rotten the very day I was born."_

_"Aren't we all?" he asked. His throat exploded in agony. Blood welled into his mouth. He died again._

The worst day of Iruka's life since his parent's death dawned bright and cheerful. He headed off to teach, and disaster struck. For the second time in three weeks Iruka was herding a gaggle of children away from the school to the safe place. This time he didn't know why.

He sat with his students for hours and tried to teach them. They, still raw from the attack on Konoha, couldn't concentrate on lessons. Iruka gave up and told them happy stories with happy endings and waited for it to be safe again. Would Konoha ever be safe again? It didn't feel like it. He kept those thoughts to himself.

Kakashi was the one who came to Iruka and told him the children could leave now. He caught the Chuunin teacher's arm and whispered in his ear what had happened. The Kyuubi had broken free. The Kyuubi was loose. Iruka could have punched the man right there. How dare he deliver such news to Iruka in front of his students. How dare he whisper those words where the children could hear. How dare he.

Iruka smiled thinly. "_Arigatou gozaimasu_, Kakashi-san. I'll take my students home, if you don't mind." Iruka dismissed the man from his mind and turned back to his students. He chattered happily to them as he walked each one home and fought down his sick dread. He had to get his students home safely to their parents. He had to do that first.

As soon as the last child was safely placed in his parent's arms Iruka took off for the site of the incident. He knew where it was. People in the street had been whispering and wailing. Iruka's mouth was dry, and he felt light headed as he dropped from the roof tops and into the broken street. It was vaguely reminiscent of the Kyuubi attack twelve years ago, but it was smaller. This didn't encompass the entire village. This wasn't as bad.

Iruka shuffled down the street and saw the neat line of sheet covered bodies. His heart clenched. How had this happened? How had the Kyuubi gotten out? What had happened to Naruto? Where was Naruto? Was he dead?

"No," Iruka whispered as he saw two people he recognized. He walked numbly over to them and stopped with his feet at the edge of the red stained sheet. He couldn't look up at the crying woman and the teary eyed man. He couldn't. His eyes were glued to the pink hair that stuck out from under the sheet.

Sakura had been beautiful, lively, and promising. With her mind and chakra control she could have saved and killed hundreds of people. She was the first Haruno to be a shinobi, and what a shinobi she would have been. Iruka remembered showing her how to throw kunai–placing the blunted weapon in her tiny little hand and watching her face light up as she hit the target. Sakura had been a future, and now she was only the past.

Iruka stepped back, mentally and physically. He looked down the street, and it was too much. Three weeks was too short a time to loose so much. Three years would have been too short a time. Iruka drew back from the raw wound that was his heart, and tried not to think. There was too much hurt in thinking.

Iruka threw himself once again into his students. He wouldn't let them die. He would teach them to be great shinobi and make sure they lived long lives. He wouldn't let them die too. Too many people were already dead. Iruka was sick of death. He wanted to die.

Konoha then gutted Umino Iruka and threw his heart away. They told him to run a crash courses and have his students only six months into training to be ready for Genin in four months. Iruka knew this was suicide for the children. Ten months was not enough time to make these eight year-olds into killers. Two years wasn't enough time. He needed more time. He wasn't going to get that time, and he'd be sending his students off to be slaughtered.

Iruka buried himself in routine, and driving himself and his students. He couldn't make them good Genin, but maybe he teach them enough to help them live a few more months, days, minutes, seconds. He became a tyrannical monster so they could live. He knew they hated him, but they couldn't hate him as much as he hated himself.

It was hard to get out of bed every morning. Some days Iruka almost stayed in bed and let the world go by him. Only the thought of his little students dead dragged him out. He dropped all mission desk duty, and secluded himself from the other teachers. He didn't listen to who was on a mission and who wasn't. He didn't want know who was dying, dead, or injured. He didn't want to know anymore.

When Iruka was approached with the mission to help trap the Kyuubi he jumped at it. He'd just sent his first batch of suicide students off to die, and he wanted to die before they did. Dying by the hand of his parent's killer seemed as good a way to go as any, and he'd be helping his village. It would be a good way to finally end his grey days.

Iruka went with the ANBU in hopes he would die and go on to rest with Hayate, Sandaime, and Naruto. There was no one else for Iruka now. He'd made a family of those people, and now, once again, he was the orphan with no one to rely on. He'd lost his twin brother; the one who stood beside him through everything. He'd lost his grandfather; the one who'd guided him through dangers Iruka couldn't fight off himself. He'd lost his younger brother; the one Iruka was supposed to protect. He was alone.

But Naruto wasn't dead. Iruka felt the surge of joy. He felt the heady elation at knowing _he wasn't alone!_Naruto was still alive! Naruto was alive, and Iruka would keep him that way. He wouldn't let anyone kill his little brother again, even Konohagakure. Especially not Konoha. Lies. Traitors. Child killers.

He'd kill them first.

_"Hah, his fever's broken." The green voice was pleased. "He'll be waking up soon."_

_"So pleased you are." The rough voice was annoyed._

_"If you're going to gripe, go do something else," the green voice said._

_"There's nothing in these woods to kill, except that strange, toothy weasel I found yesterday, and that wasn't any fun to kill. You'd think living in a forest with a demon would be more exciting," the rough voice grumbled._

_"You'll get your action soon enough, trust me." The green voice was smug. Cool hands touched his forehead. "As soon as 'Oikawa-chan' wakes up we can move on."_

_"Wakie, wakie, Oikawa-chan, I want to eat your organs," the rough voice almost sang. There was a chuckle. "Who knows what they'd taste like after you let Kakashi cook them. Organs are best raw, you know."_

* * *

**A/N:It's sort of a filler chapter, but it's got a lot of background in it. This is to show Iruka was _depressed_** **as the very beginning of this story and is still coming out of his funk. Italics are actual events, and normal text is what Iruka's thinking about. This chapter, by the way, was completely written in twelve hours. I wish I could write all the chapters that fast...**

**Thanks to the reviewers:RedTheRetard, Ally Plz, BlackDove-alchemist, WannabeFireFox, Miranda Crystal-Bearer, Nicole Miklos, A kira, Esoretic Memories, Ice Dragon3, a.noni, umino-gaara, MSYOU, icestar-comet-moon, and sasori-kun!**

**Jaa ne!**


	12. Inner Demons

_Can't stop falling,  
__Heartache's calling,  
__Finds you after the fall,  
__Saints or sinners,  
__Take no prisoners,  
__What's left, after you fall?_ -After the Fall-Journey

* * *

The sky was filled with light grey clouds. There was a damp wind that blew and lessened the heat of the sun. There was something enjoyable about days like this. It promised rain in the future but allowed sun to reign. It was the sort of day that sent children out of doors to laugh and play. It was the sort of day made for smiles and laughs.

It was not a day for a funeral.

Kiba had been to numerous funerals in his life. When a member of his clan died he had to attended the funeral, whether the deceased had been shinobi or not. It was a sign of respect and unity; death did not remove one from the clan. Inuzuka were Inuzuka forever.

Kakashi's funeral was not much different. People stood dressed in black and stood in silent ranks. Kiba could feel the itch of sweat traveling down his back. He didn't even twitch at the sensation. He was too busy listening to the person gently speaking to the crowd. People had come to Kakashi's funeral because he was the great Sharingan Kakashi. Kiba was there because Kakashi had died in the Kyuubi's forest.

Kiba was brave enough to border fool-hardy, but now he was frightened. He'd known all along he and his teammates were no match for the Kyuubi, but now there was something else to worry about. The whisper was the Kyuubi hadn't killed Kakashi, and Kiba knew the truth. Shikamaru had been told the truth of Kakashi's death, and Shikamaru had told his team.

Umino Iruka had killed Hatake Kakashi.

The thought sent a shiver through Kiba. There was a pang of hurt deep in his chest when he thought of his former teacher now. Iruka had been Kiba's teacher for four years, and Kiba had trusted the man. Iruka had always had a smile for his former students, and always asked after them. Kiba wondered if his perception of Iruka was false and had been for years.

Kiba straightened a little more, and let his eyes trail down the line of people until he reached Sasuke. Sasuke looked paler than usual in black, but his face was as impassive as always. Kiba would have been angered by that fact if he hadn't remembered Hinata's words: 'It must be terrible to be so alone.' Now the Uchiha was really alone, wasn't he?

Ino bumped her shoulder into Kiba's arm and gave him a discreet grin. After the funeral they would be back on patrol, and Kiba would be keeping watch on the borders of the Kyuubi's Forest, where Kakashi had died. How much longer would Kiba guard that forest without being a causality? How long before one of them died as Kakashi had? Would Iruka come after them too?

Kiba knotted his hands into fists and determined not to show his fear. If they weren't careful fear would grow in all of them and devour them. Then they would be useless as shinobi, and how else were they to be useful? Kiba swallowed and felt his nails bite into his palms.

* * *

It was night. Darkness and silence blanketed most of Konoha. There was damp in the air, though it hadn't rained for a few days now. The stars were obscured by clouds, and that was just as well.

Sasuke sat crouched in front of the Heroes'' stone. He father's name wasn't on it, because he hadn't died protecting Konoha. His father had been viciously murdered by his son, and therefore didn't belong on the Hero's stone. Sakura Haruno, barely thirteen and only a few months into her service of Konoha, was on the Hero's stone. She'd been killed by the Kyuubi.

Hatake Kakashi was on the Hero's stone. Kakashi had died somehow. No one said how, and Sasuke hadn't been allowed to see his former sensei's body. He didn't think the Kyuubi had killed him, but he thought the man had finally gotten what he wanted.

Sasuke didn't bother with matches or a lighter. He simply damped down one of the Uchiha's famous fire jutsu and lit his two cones of incense. He rocked gently back and forth from his toes to his heels while the incense burned and let the smell tickle his nose.

Sasuke hated the smell of incense. He hated the way it clung to his clothes and hair. He hated the way it made him sneeze. He hated burning it because it was to honor the dead, and Sasuke hated having people he liked enough to honor die.

He didn't clasp his hands in prayer, but simply rocked back and forth, watching the glow from the incense illuminate the last few names on the Hero's stone. Sasuke imagined if he came back in the day time he could count the names and find that the Uchiha outnumbered any other clan on the stone, except for maybe the Hyuuga. The Uchiha had been great and prestigious.

Now he was the only one left.

He couldn't go anywhere without being reminded of it. People, especially shinobi, whispered as he went by. He tried to ignore them, but there was only so much ignoring a shinobi could do. He was the last Uchiha, and he was 'destined' to do great things. He was 'destined' to kill his brother. He was 'destined' to start his clan again, because he was the last Uchiha.

Sasuke rocked back and forth harder and pressed his face into his forearm. He was also the last of Team Seven. First Sakura and Naruto had gone, leaving Sasuke and Kakashi. Sasuke told himself he wasn't bothered by his teammates' deaths. He told himself there were silly and childish, and he hadn't been attached to them at all. He told himself it was better with just himself and Kakashi.

Then Kakashi had left. Dead, killed, gone. Sasuke was the last of Team Seven.

Sasuke gagged on the tightness in his throat. He stopped rocking and his shoulders jerked. His eyes burned, and he wished being the last didn't make him feel so hollow.

* * *

Iruka woke up. It was and abrupt and jarring thing--like the sound of a breaking window, or plunging a hand into ice cold water. He sat up and pain stabbed through his stomach. For a moment he felt a phantom pain of an electric hand slamming through his stomach, and then it was replaced by the dull ache of a healing wound.

He hunched over and clasped his arms across his stomach instinctively. The pain wasn't very bad, but it was frightening. The last thing Iruka remembered clearly was Kakashi's arm through his stomach, and that was a sight he couldn't get out of his mind. He couldn't get the feeling of the electrified clawed fist sliding through his flesh out of his mind either.

"_Ohayou_." A soft voice spoke. Iruka turned his head and saw Itachi watching him. Something in Iruka snarled at Itachi, and made Iruka tense up. He was down and injured while Itachi was up and healthy. He should strike now before--

Iruka jerked his mind and body back under his conscious control. He relaxed, lessening the pain in his stomach. "What happened?" By all rights Iruka should be dead.

"You were an idiot and sat up," Itachi replied blandly.

Iruka grimaced. "Before that, what happened to Kakashi?"

"Hmm, you killed him, I think." Itachi sat down gracefully and looked at Iruka. He was amused.

Iruka coughed and his stomach muscles clenched in pain. His throat was dry and felt raw. Had he been screaming? "How come I'm not dead?"

"Because you have the luck of an idiot," Itachi replied, leaning back against what looked like a giant root. "Any other painfully obvious questions you'd like to ask me?"

"Why-" Iruka stopped and shifted his position to ease the pain of his stomach. "Where has Same-san gone?"

"Out, fishing." There was something dangerous about the way Itachi watched Iruka--as if Iruka was something that needed to be taken apart and examined. If Kisame regarded Iruka as an exotic pet then Itachi regarded him as a new toy. How long would Itachi be content just watching his new toy? How long before he got bored and wanted to take it apart?

Kisame came almost sauntering into wherever Itachi and Kisame had stashed Iruka's unconscious body. It looked like a cave of giant roots, but Iruka wasn't in a mood to examine it. His stomach was throbbing and he ached everywhere.

Iruka decided Kisame might answer his questions better than Itachi had. "Same-san, what happened to me? Why didn't I die? Kakashi stuck a chidori through my _stomach_."

Kisame raised an eyebrow and tossed his two fish to Itachi. Itachi caught them with and disgusted look on his face. The Uchiha wasn't fond of fish. "Well, dear Oikawa-chan, first I must say if you wanted your organs fondled you should have come to me first."

Itachi snorted.

"And I would like to know how you survived, too," Kisame shrugged. "We found you with a half-healed hole through your stomach and a burn on your chest. If you know anything more than that we would enlightened." Kisame flopped down and gave Iruka a speculative look. "Some strange _kekkei genkai_?"

Iruka almost laughed. "No, no, the only thing my parents passed along to me was a bad temper and some nasty jutsu. Nothing special….." Iruka almost coughed and wondered why his throat was so _raw_. Talking hurt. "Is there any water around here?"

"_Koko ni_," Kisame flipped a canteen towards Iruka. Iruka caught it on reflex, and his body screamed in protest. He almost dropped the canteen and couldn't keep a grimace off his face.

"He's just woken up from almost dying, please be gentle with him," Itachi admonished in a neutral voice. "Now, may leave you two alone while I gut the fish, or will you break him again?"

Kisame chuckled. "I won't break Oikawa-chan. I won't even touch him while you're gone if that makes you happy."

"You wouldn't have to touch him to kill him the way he is now," Itachi observed, but he left with the fish.

Kisame turned his attention back to Iruka, who was happily sipping the water. "None of that is coming out the hole you let Kakashi make in your stomach, right?"

"Not that I can tell, but if I start leaking from strange places I'll let you know," Iruka promised. He could feel the water hit his empty stomach and slosh around. "Is there anything to eat?"

"That nasty instant ramen you've been feeding the Kyuubi, and the fish Itachi is ruining." Kisame shook his head. "I don't see why he insists that the organs aren't an acceptable part to eat."

"He doesn't even eat the liver or the heart?" Iruka asked.

"Nah, won't touch 'em." Kisame shrugged. "I don't know why. The best part of a fish is the still-convulsing heart…."

"I prefer the liver," Iruka intoned. He coughed a little and winced. "Why is my throat so raw?" At the moment Kisame seemed ready to answer questions. Maybe he was glad to have his exotic pet awake again. Having only Itachi for a companion must be tiring.

"Why? Because while you had a fever you kept us very entertained by screaming, talking, and babbling almost constantly. You only stopped yesterday," Kisame explained easily. Iruka was grateful. Kisame, at least, was answering his questions instead of playing word games with him as Itachi had.

"How long has it been since I ki--" Iruka's mind and voice stuck on the word 'killed.' Why? He'd killed many times before, and spoken of it easily. Why was it impossible to get the words out now? "Since Kakashi and I fought?"

"Hmm, four days?" Kisame scratched at his scaly face. "Yeah, four days. Your fever broke early last night, and you've been peacefully snoozing since then. It was a nice change from delirious and loud. You socked Itachi in the jaw, by the way."

Iruka winced. He thought he remembered something like that. He couldn't believe he'd been unconscious for four days, but he also couldn't believe he wasn't dead. Why wasn't he dead? "What was I raving about?"

"Oh, different things. You kept calling for 'Hayate' and telling him to 'wait up'. Itachi didn't like it much when you said that," Kisame said.

Iruka would have rather felt the pain of a chidori going through his stomach than the sick feeling he got when Kisame said Hayate's name. He'd never faced that pain, only buried it under more grief and exhaustion. Sandaime had been properly mourned, but Hayate had never been.

_What would you think of me now, Hayate?_ Iruka wondered as he screwed the cap back on the canteen and felt sick sorrow burrow into his chest. He felt like curling up and dying. He was shaking from the exertion of sitting up, and he felt weak. He was weak.

"Lay back down," Itachi commanded as he came back from gutting the fish. Itachi had commanded an ANBU squad at thirteen, and he could pull off a commanding tone of voice very well. Iruka. Watching Itachi duck, decided they were in what amounted to a cave of roots, and at least partially below ground.

Iruka lowered himself back down on the slightly sour-smelling blankets and felt the pain in his stomach lessen a little. Lying down while Kisame and Itachi moved about was unnerving. He was tensed and ready for an attack at any moment. Would he ever be able to relax completely again? Had he doomed himself to a life of suspicion and distrust? Iruka moved his hand to absently touch the _hitai-ate_ in the pocket of his flak vest.

It wasn't there.

Iruka jerked upright, causing pain to lance through his body, and grabbed his flak vest up from where it had been lying beside him. He gave it a shake and began rifling through all the pockets. Where had his _hitai-ate_ gone? Had it fallen out of the zipped pocket while Iruka had been fighting Iruka? How could it have gotten out of a zipped pocket? There wasn't a hole in the pocket.

"It's not there," Itachi spoke softly, but it rang through across the air to Iruka.

Iruka bristled. "What?"

"Your _hitai-ate_ isn't there," Itachi said again.

"Where is it?" Iruka's voice rasped, and something hot and burning lapped at the edges of Iruka's consciousness. The skin on his chest burned.

Itachi gave a shrug. "In Konoha, somewhere. I don't know what they do with the _hitai-ate_ of missing-nin when they get them back. Maybe they burn them, or just throw them away."

"What?" There was a definite growl in Iruka's voice. Itachi's eyebrow twitched, and Kisame sat forward. He could feel a fight brewing. Iruka was just as surprised as they were by the growl. Why did he have the urge to jump up and go for Itachi's throat?

"I took it out of your flak vest and put it with Kakashi's corpse." Itachi's red-tinted eyes were half-closed, but that was worrying. "It's time for you to accept the fact you're an enemy of Konoha. You've betrayed them. You're a missing-nin, and your only allegiance is to yourself."

Iruka leaned back on his arms and met Itachi's gaze. Those words cut deep into him. They were true. Iruka had been hanging onto the obscure hope that maybe everything would work out and Konoha would let him and Naruto come back. He should have known there was no way that could happen. Iruka was a traitor. He would never be anything else now.

It was best to let Itachi's actions go, and say it had been for the best. Something inside Iruka snarled at the thought of following along with someone else. It burned in his chest and wanted to beat Itachi down. It wanted to see Itachi bleeding and broken on the ground. It wanted to see Itachi dead.

_What is that?_ Iruka felt his body tense, completely out of his control. He forced himself back down, but he remained tense. What was the feeling of anger and killing intent inside him? What was making him so _angry_ at Itachi's control over him? He'd known for some time now he was at Itachi's and Kisame's mercy; why did it rankle so now?

_That's not my chakra_. Iruka realized with a jolt. Chakra was best described with color and, burning like fire along his chakra lines were strings of bright red chakra. Iruka's chakra was blue and calm, but this chakra was nowhere near that. How had it gotten there, and why did it feel so familiar? Iruka tried tugging at the strange chakra and it answered sluggishly. It was centered around his stomach, where the chidori had gone through him.

Iruka felt a burning start where the chakra gathered and recognized it. This was the Kyuubi's chakra. How had it gotten into Iruka? Iruka almost jumped up when he remembered Kisame mentioned he had a burn on his chest. It was unsurprising with the chidori being a very powerful lightning attack that Iruka would have burns but could the burn have been caused by something else?

Iruka slowly sat up again and ignored the exasperated look from Itachi. He pulled the neck of his jumpsuit down and stared at his chest. There it was. The almost-healed burn looked like half a hand print, but the hand was much too small to be Kakashi's. That meant...

_It's Naruto's hand print, and the reason I'm alive is because he used the Kyuubi's chakra to heal me_. Iruka shuddered as he felt the red chakra inside him rumble at the thought of the Kyuubi.

If Iruka only had a tiny bit of the Kyuubi's chakra in him, what must it be like for Naruto, who was surrounded by such a massive amount of the Kyuubi's chakra? Was this was Naruto was dealing with? Was he overcome with terrible urges to kill just because and enjoy it? Was he constantly aware of the burning of the Kyuubi's chakra beneath his skin? Did he wonder which he really was: the heartless killing demon or the cheerful young shinobi? Iruka touched the burn mark on his chest and swore again he'd get Naruto back.

There was no way he was leaving Naruto to deal with such hellish feelings. Even if he had to betray the world he'd get Naruto back. Even if he had to betray the memories of the people he'd loved best he would get Naruto back.

"Oi, Oikawa-chan, if you're done meditating you should eat." Kisame carelessly handed Iruka a cup of instant ramen. The broth sloshed over onto Iruka's fingers. He took it and looked down at the cheap bamboo chopsticks stuck in it. His hands shook.

If Kisame and Itachi saw him crying, they said nothing.

* * *

**A/N: Thus Kisame and Iruka bond over fish organs. Those two have the strangest relationship of any characters in this story... I love Kiba. **

**I feel bad because so the last chapter made people cry... This one isn't exactly cheerful, but it's better, ne? Where did the humor go?**

**Thanks to the reviewers:Esoretic Memories, CWolf2, Ice Dragon3, A kira, a.noni, Ally Plz, biacebaolck, WannabeFireFox, Nicole Miklos, RedTheRetard, Miranda Crystal-Bearer, sasori-kun, kibalover23, MSYOU, and icestar-comet-moon!**

**Jaa ne!**


	13. Student Teacher

_Every night you cry yourself to sleep,  
__Thinking why does this happen to me,  
__Why does every moment have to be,  
__So hard to believe,  
__It's not over tonight,  
__Just give me one more chance to make it right,  
__I may not make it through the night,  
__I won't go home without you_.-Won't Go Home Without You-Maroon 5

* * *

It took Iruka only two more days to get back on his feet. He wasn't completely better yet, but he could walk around without feeling dizzy or falling over. The pain of his stomach had lessened greatly, and it was a huge relief. He now knew why shinobi were encouraged to go for the gut--gut wounds _hurt_. Not to mention all the important organ bits that could be slashed open or removed.

Despite being back on his feet Iruka still felt bad. Killing Kakashi, when he thought about it, made him feel sick, but there hadn't really been a choice. It had been either kill or be killed, but that wasn't helping him much. Iruka had never killed someone he'd known. Certainly he hadn't known Kakashi well or really liked him much, but it was different from killing someone he didn't know.

Itachi had gone off again to sneak more food out of Konoha. Kisame wasn't worried, so Iruka didn't worry. Itachi was a genius, stealing food should be easy for him. Would Iruka be better off if Itachi got caught? Probably not. Kisame would insist on getting Itachi back and Iruka might lose both his allies. As wary as he was of Kisame and Itachi he needed them. Iruka hoped they still needed him too.

Kisame didn't approve of Iruka's blue mood, and Iruka wasn't happy with it either. He felt like part of himself was trying to go numb, and it was a part of him he'd just woken up again. While he'd thought Naruto was gone Iruka had shut part of himself down—the part that loved, felt, and cared, and only recently had he been alive and feeling again. He didn't want to go numb again.

"Where are you going?" Kisame asked as Iruka stood up.

"For a walk. I can't think while you stare at me like that," Iruka replied. He started off into the woods, aware that Kisame would not follow him. The fish-man was convinced Iruka could take care of himself, but Itachi wasn't. Iruka just wanted to be alone. He didn't really want to think. Thinking would take him back to Kakashi, and Iruka was afraid of going numb again if he thought about Kakashi too much.

_So think about Naruto_. Iruka grinned a little. He remembered the wide-handed wave he'd gotten from his former student. Naruto knew who the ramen was from, and he'd saved Iruka's life. Naruto was most certainly still around, and even the Kyuubi couldn't keep him down. There was something to be said for his determination.

The leaves crunched under Iruka's shoes, and he looked around at the trees. These giant trees were the namesake of Konohagakure--the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Konoha was like a great tree, and the shinobi were her leaves. Shinobi brought Konoha money from missions and provided protection. Shinobi fell easily, but always there was another to take the fallen's place.

_That's all we are...leaves. Short-lived and unimportant to a village that's as immense and old as Konohas. _Iruka thought solemnly. The deadfall under his feet crunched and Iruka smiled to himself. _And when we fall we're just deadfall. That's all you are now Iruka: deadfall._ Iruka felt the burning in his stomach where he kept the Kyuubi's chakra gathered. _Burning deadfall_.

Iruka heard a rustle and whipped around. His stomach muscles hurt as he moved, and he was stiff. He sank down into a crouch and knew he should run instead of fight. The fiery chakra inside him snarled at the thought of running, and then it tried to break out of Iruka's control. It sent his heart pounding and made him want to charge forward on all fours with his teeth bared.

Iruka forced the burning chakra back under his control and waited. There was another noise, and Iruka tensed further. The Kyuubi slid out from behind a tree. It looked at Iruka, and something about its posture made him pause. There was something about it that was different. Something was...familiar. Was that because he had some of the creature's chakra inside of him now?

"R-Ruka-sensei!" Naruto almost shrieked before throwing himself around the tree and into his teacher. Iruka forced his arms away from his kunai and defensive stance and let the child hit him. Naruto immediately flung his arms around Iruka and burst into hard sobs. Iruka automatically wrapped his arms around Naruto and looked down in surprise at the almost blonde head.

The Kyuubi's chakra made a faint glow around Naruto, and the tails, lengthened limbs, and elongated ears were still present, but this was Naruto. There was no doubt in Iruka's mind at all. This was _his_ Naruto. His happy little dandelion boy filled with mischief and smiles. This was his student.

Iruka ignored the strange color of the hair and musk that still hung around the boy. He held him tight and felt the sobs shake him. It was a wonder Iruka wasn't crying too.

"I-I thought you-you were dead," Naruto almost howled into Iruka's flak vest. He looked up at Iruka, his eyes purple with a band of red around the pupil and a band of blue around the edge of the iris. "I-I thought Ka-kakashi-sensei had killed you." His voice dropped to a strained whisper as he spoke.

"He did, but you saved me, _ne_?" Iruka smiled, and it was a wide and real smile.

"Nn," Naruto buried his face back in Iruka's flak vest and breathed deeply. His shoulder hitched with another sob and his voice cracked. "I thought he was lying to me again and that _I'd_ killed you."

"Who's 'he'?" Iruka asked, wishing Naruto would look back up at him. He wanted to see the faint band of blue expand and eat away all the other colors in Naruto's eyes. He wanted his laughing blue-eyed prankster back.

"The Kyuubi," Naruto's voice gained a growl on the demon's name, and he turned his face away from Iruka's flak vest to speak. "He lies a lot when he talks to me, when he bothers to. He tries to get me to let him have my body all to himself. He tries to trick me into giving it to him, and if I agree with him for one second he--" Naruto broke off and pressed his face into Iruka's flak vest again.

Naruto was shaking. He quivered all over and Iruka could feel the Kyuubi's chakra growing stronger. Iruka tightened his hold on Naruto, and momentarily pressed his cheek against Naruto's hair. He breathed out and felt Naruto give another sob.

"Naruto," Iruka pulled back, and placed his hand on Naruto's shoulders. He grinned down at the boy's tear-streaked face. "How have you liked your ramen?"

Naruto grinned back, revealing far too many sharp pointy teeth. "_Totemo oishii deshita!_ You're the best Iruka-sensei."

"I try," Iruka replied. He couldn't stop grinning like an idiot again. "I'm glad you like it so much. Instant ramen can't really hold a candle to the ramen at the Ichiraku, but I couldn't get any of that for you."

"Ramen's ramen," Naruto sounded almost cheerful, though his voice was still thick from his tears. He was shaking still, and Iruka wondered if it was from holding the Kyuubi back.

"Here, sit down," Iruka flopped down gracelessly on the deadfall, and Naruto flopped down beside him with twice as much grace as Iruka. His long limbs folded easily under him, and he settled in front of Iruka with their knees touching. Iruka reached out and ruffled Naruto's hair; Naruto shook his head under the touch and wiped at the tear-tracks on his face.

"Did...did I really save you?" Naruto asked in a hushed voice.

"Sure you did," Iruka said. He pulled his shirt up(he'd been wearing on of Kisame's when he'd been attacked) and showed Naruto the still-red mark on his stomach. "Kakashi put a chidori right through me. There's probably a matching scar on the other side." Naruto's eyes widened, and he leaned around Iruka to stare at his back.

"There is." Naruto sounded amazed.

"See, you did save me. I was dying before you came along and healed me," Iruka explained and gave Naruto's hair another ruffle.

"Did it hurt?" Naruto asked, his eyes still one Iruka's scar.

"Dying?" Iruka queried and Naruto nodded. "Yes, a lot."

Naruto winced. "Does--does dying always hurt?"

Iruka thought about Kakashi mostly painless death, and all the quick instant kill strikes shinobi used. "Not always, but sometimes it does." Why was Naruto asking? Was he asking because he wanted to know how much his death would hurt? Did Naruto want to die?

"D'you," Naruto paused and tears gathered in his eyes. "D'you think Sakura hurt a lot when I...when the Kyuubi...when she died?"

Iruka was struck dumb by the question for a moment. Tears began slipping down Naruto's cheeks again and Iruka reached up to rub them away with his thumbs. "No, no, I don't think it was." She probably had no time to even be scared as the demon fell on her and killed her.

Naruto gave a shudder and closed his eyes. Was he wondering if all the other people the Kyuubi had killed had been in pain? Some must have been. Was he wondering how many more people the Kyuubi would kill painfully?

"Naruto..." Iruka leaned his forehead against Naruto's. He could smell the Kyuubi's scent and maybe, just maybe, the boyish smell of Naruto underneath. "Naruto look at me." Naruto slowly opened his eyes and looked up at Iruka. It was a little hard to focus this close, but Iruka refused to pull back. Was that band of blue wider, or was it Iruka's imagination?

"I promise I'll get you back in control of your body," Iruka whispered. "I promise I'll find a way to do it, and you'll never have to worry about the Kyuubi again." Something red and fiery growled within Iruka, and he wondered if Naruto felt an answering growl in his own body. "I promise."

Naruto stared at Iruka. His eyes were huge with disbelief. Iruka pulled his head back a little and waited for some sort of verbal response. Had Kakashi been right? Would Naruto want to die after all the things the Kyuubi had done with his body? If he did Iruka would die with him.

"I-I thought you'd come to ki-kill me." Naruto's voice was shaking. "The-the Kyuubi killed your parents and I thought you'd come to kill me to get rid of the Kyuubi." And yet Naruto had come to him.

Naruto squeezed Iruka's knees with his hands. "I don't _want_ to die." Naruto trusted Iruka to do the right thing. If he needed to be killed to get rid of the Kyuubi and Iruka was going to do that it was fine with Naruto. Naruto would let Iruka do what Iruka thought was right because Naruto _trusted _him.

"No, no, I haven't. I came to get you back," Iruka whispered back. Now he was about to cry, but he didn't. He needed to be strong for Naruto. "I came to save you."

Naruto grinned, and laughed. He fell forward and buried his face in Iruka's knees, crying and laughing in relief. Iruka gently stroked Naruto's head and wondered if he was going to laugh and cry along with Naruto.

* * *

Naruto fell asleep, curled over Iruka's knees, and he drooled. Iruka didn't really care. He couldn't feel his feet, and his legs were going numb. He didn't care. There were nine tails draped behind Naruto, some twitching while the boy dreamed. Iruka didn't care.

It was still Naruto. It was the number one prankster of Konoha. It was Iruka's students. It was Naruto.

Naruto stirred and sat up. For a moment he looked like a bleary-eyed child, and then his eyes snapped narrower and he suddenly bared his teeth in a snarl. Iruka felt the Kyuubi's chakra flare up around him. His stomach burned.

"Fight," Kyuubi-Naruto snarled. He looked at Iruka, and red devoured purple. "Fight." Kyuubi-Naruto drew back. Fangs bared and claws flexing it looked at Iruka and backed up. "Won't kill Ruka-ssenssei." Kyuubi-Naruto snarled, and Iruka thought it sounded more like a regret than a reassurance.

So, when a fight was going on Naruto lost himself to the Kyuubi. Somehow the boy had found a way to keep the Kyuubi from killing Iruka, but did that extend to injuring him? Could Iruka count on the Kyuubi not to hurt him, or just not to kill him?

Kyuubi-Naruto drew back more and snarled.

"Naruto," Iruka called gently. He received a red-eyed stare that made his mouth go dry. The smell and oppressive chakra was back, but not as strong as it had been the previous times Iruka had faced Kyuubi-Naruto. "Don't worry, I'll protect you. I won't let anyone hurt you."

For a moment the Kyuubi-Naruto's face twisted into a snarl of rage, and then it smiled. Iruka had time to register the crinkle eyed smile before Kyuubi-Naruto was gone, leaving a faint odor and a tingle of chakra on Iruka's skin.

"Well then, I wonder who's fighting?" Iruka muttered as he clambered to his feet. His feet and calves were numb. He took a moment to shake the feeling back into his legs and then set off back to where he'd left Kisame. With the fish-man was the safest place for him to be...at least for now.

* * *

Kiba followed Shino and Ino closely. He was the rear guard: if something went wrong he was the back up. He was the physically strongest of his team, though he wasn't sure he could beat Shino in a fight. Ino was a decent fighter herself, but her talents extended more to subterfuge and not fighting.

Shino had detected something, and Ino claimed to have seen something too while they were patrolling along the fringes of the forest. Shikamaru had warned them against going too deep into the forest, and ever since Kakashi's death they'd been even more careful to stay to the fringes of the forest. Kiba was beginning to think his former sensei was not acting alone anymore. They were vague rumors about that, but nothing definite.

Shino suddenly stopped. Kiba and Ino stopped precisely behind him. They hardly needed hand signs anymore to tell each other what to do. Kiba, already familiar with Shino's personal body language, could anticipate Shino's move before the other boy made them, and he was almost that good at reading Ino's body language. Of course, Kiba had always been quick to pick up on body language (living around dogs big enough to take off your head in one bite did that).

Ino eased her way up beside Shino, and Kiba peered over their shoulders. Shino's focus was a large man in a red and black cloak. The man was crouched in front of one of the many streams that cut through the Kyuubi's Forest. Kiba felt Akamaru's hackles go up, and he knew the man was dangerous...and gone.

The Genin acted instantly, but they were still almost too late. Something large crashed down where they all had been crouched seconds before. Kiba threw himself back and snarled. Akamaru dropped out of his shirt and growled. The man, who was huge, blue, and grinning with blood lust, was dangerous. He was a killer. He was going to kill them all for fun, and he would drag it out as long as he could.

"Fledge!" Kiba shouted. It was part of the code Shikamaru and Shino had worked out. 'Fledge' meant 'go back to the village and get help. I'll hold him off'. Kiba knew he'd only be stalling the blue man, but he could at least help his teammates get away. Akamaru snarled in agreement.

Shino and Ino didn't even hesitate before jumping and trying to run. The blue man swung a huge, bandage wrapped thing--sword? staff? what?-- at them. Kiba threw himself at it and slammed his palms into it, throwing off the blue man's swing and tearing through the bandages with his hand. He yelped as the skin of his hands was shredded.

Akamaru threw himself at the fish man, and was easily kicked away. Kiba jumped away and prepared to fight. He and Akamaru had a better chance fighting together than apart. They needed to be coordinated. They might not win, but they could at least injure the blue man before he killed them.

"Akamaru!" Kiba yelled. The half-grown pup jumped to Kiba's side, or he tried to. The blue man swung at Akamaru and nearly hit him. Kiba jumped forward, throwing a fistful of kunai. The blue man swung his giant sword with and an ease that warned Kiba of his massive strength. He was also fast.

The giant sword hit Kiba in the chest, tearing away at his clothes, skin, and his light chest armor. Blood ran freely from the wound, and it stung. Kiba hit the ground and rolled to his feet only to drop back to dodge a handful of wickedly barbed kunai. He rolled away from the blue man and to his feet. He ignored the pain in his chest and prepared to run at the blue man again.

Kiba was suddenly hit in the back with a sharp weight. He crumpled to the ground, and his chest exploded in pain as the dead leaves and fallen twigs dug into his bloody flesh. Hard, sharp steel was pressed against his neck. He gasped and tried to wrench away from the steel. Someone clenched a hand in his hair and hit his head against the ground. He was trapped.

"Kisame, grab the mutt and be careful. It may look harmless, but it could take off your fingers." The voice above Kiba was young and polite in a vague way. Kiba shouted as the blue man, Kisame, grabbed Akamaru in an iron grip and shook him. He struggled, but he only got the kunai pressed harder against his throat. He could feel a trickle of blood sliding down his neck.

"An Inuzuka, eh?" Kisame grinned and gave Akamaru another shake. "How attached do they get to their dogs, Itachi?"

"The Inuzuka? Very attached, most keep the same dog as a partner all their life," the voice above Kiba, Itachi, said.

Kisame grinned, and Kiba felt a chill of fear go down his spine. He'd seen that smile enough to know what it meant. He knew what was coming. He lurched, trying to get free and get to Akamaru, heedless of the kunai against his neck. Kisame grabbed Akamaru's leg.

The snap echoed through the forest.

Akamaru's cry was drowned out by Kiba's scream. He struggled and fought. He swore and felt tears sting his eyes. Kisame was _torturing_ Akamaru, and Kiba could do _nothing_. Kiba threw his head back and tried to kick Itachi. Flail as he might the man remained firmly perched on his back, holding him to the ground and Kisame prepared to snap Akamaru's other leg. Kisame leered at Kiba, who snarled wordlessly back. He wanted to rip the man's throat out.

"What's going on?" A new voice asked. Kiba knew that voice. He recognized the snap of command in it. It made Kiba flinch. That voice could make half the shinobi in Konoha flinch, but Kisame only calmly turned his head and regarded the speaker.

"Ah, Oikawa-chan, nice of you to join us. Have a good walk?" Kisame was still leering. Kiba could just see Iruka, and he was surprised. Iruka was leaner than Kiba remembered, and there was a shiny new scar across his left cheek. His clothes were ragged and there was a hole burnt through his flak vest. He was also missing his _hitai-ate_. He almost looked dangerous. Kiba knew that look of anger on Iruka's face maybe too well, but what could his Chuunin sensei do against a monster like Kisame?

"Put Akamaru down," Iruka snapped as he walked forward. He was dirty and dead leaves were clinging to him in some places. "Same-san, put the dog down."

Kiba prepared to see his sensei struck down, and was amazed when Kisame shrugged and dropped Akamaru. Iruka lunged forward and caught the pup before he hit the ground. He gently tucked Akamaru against his chest and turned to face Itachi.

"Now, Itachi, if you'll let Kiba up..." Iruka let the request trail off, shifting his gentle hold on Akamaru to keep from touching the pup's injured leg. Kiba was still waiting for a surprise attack from Kisame to take Iruka out.

"I thought we had this discussion about your ties to Konoha," Itachi spoke lightly, and he sounded amused. Kiba shuddered.

"This has nothing to do with my ties to Konoha." Iruka replied levelly. There was smoldering menace in his voice. "This is about my ties to my former students, and I'm not going to sit here and let you torture one."

"Then go away and let us," Itachi suggested, but he was slowly getting off Kiba. Kiba struggled to get up, and found he was shaking all over. His chest was on fire, and he felt sick.

Iruka hissed as Kiba sat up and knelt down in front of him, placing Akamaru gently down beside Kiba. "Kiba's not a threat to you or Kisame. In fact, if you let him go, the Genin will continue to guard the border of the forest, and that's to your benefit, ne?" Iruka spoke to Itachi without looking away from Kiba. How did he know Genin were patrolling the forest border, had he seen them?

Itachi gave the back of Iruka's head a bland look and disappeared. Kisame gave Kiba one last leer and followed Itachi back into the trees. Itachi looked uncannily like Sasuke.

"Let's get this bleeding stopped, all right?" Iruka looked at Kiba and smiled. Akamaru nudged Kiba's hand and the boy glanced down. He saw Iruka's hands weaving through signs and saw the green glow of healing chakra gather around them.

_I didn't know Iruka-sensei was a medic_. Kiba thought blearily before he collapsed forward into Iruka, who smelled of dead leaves, fox, and comfort.

* * *

**A/N:Back by popular demand it's Naruto! Fourteenth chapter and this is the kids first real appaerence. For a story where he's the second main character he doesn't show up much, does he? I hope this give ya'll your Naruto fix. It'll be a while before we see him again.**

**By the way, I think Burning Deadfall is about half-way done or more. I can't be sure because nothing in this story is certain. Except that Kakashi is dead and everyone loves Kisame.**

**Naruto said: _Totemo oishii deshita_It was very delicious!**

**Thanks to the reviewers: Juniperbreezie, Kei the Incarnadine Goddess, CWolf 2, Blue the bloody Baron, RedTheRetard, biacebaolck, Ally Plz, WannabeFireFox, icestar-comet-moon, Miranda Crystal-Bearer, Nicole Miklos, A kira, Ice Dragon3, sasori-kun, a.noni, Victorita9, MSYOU, Mare, and greengirl6.**


	14. Trusting Traitors

_Don't look don't talk don't yell,  
__Just close your eyes,  
__This may or may not come,  
__As some surprise,  
__I've found obsessions,  
__Which to live and die by_-Sense of a Spark-Finger Eleven

* * *

Iruka was amazed by how heavy Kiba and Akamaru were. The last time he'd had to carry both of them the two had been eight. Almost five years made a huge difference, especially when one jumped from eight to thirteen.

Still, he didn't pause to rest as he leapt through the trees. Now that the anger had left him he felt shaky. He'd just given two S-class missing-nin orders—threatened them actually, and he'd not been gutted. Kisame and Itachi had given him Kiba and left. As soon as he'd begun talking Iruka had expected to be crisped by Itachi or sat on by Kisame. Neither had happened, and Iruka felt the universe had just stood him on his head.

_Next thing you know I'll be Hokage_, Iruka thought. He almost giggled.

Akamaru whined, and Iruka tried to shift the little dog without jarring his broken leg. Iruka had splinted it and taken care of some of the inflammation, but any more healing was beyond Iruka. He'd stopped all Kiba's bleeding and set the wounds on their way to healing, but the boy was still unconscious. Iruka hoped it was just trauma from watching Akamaru's leg being broken by Kisame and not from a life threatening injury.

Iruka slowed down as he approached the edge of the forest. How was he going to get Kiba back into Konoha? He knew, had learned a few days ago, that his former students were patrolling the border of the Kyuubi's forest. Had they gone back to Konoha for reinforcements? Should he leave Kiba on the edge of the woods?

Iruka heard something move, and he crouched as if to take another leap. His eyes flickered over the forest, and he saw Chouji and Hinata crouched in the branches of the tree. He saw Ino and Shino by another two trees. It appeared they were alone. The only Genin that was missing was-

_Kage mane no jutsu_ was an excellent jutsu for Konoha. There were infinite shadows under trees to use, and Iruka knew he was caught before he even felt the jutsu catch him. His body gave a little jerk as Shikamaru took control of it, and Iruka quivered.

His body turned until he was facing Shikamaru, and Iruka was surprised. He'd noticed how much older Kiba looked, but he hadn't expected to see Shikamaru looking so much older. Did all his former students look older? Did they all have that tired, dead look that came from living off constant fear?

Iruka's body started to lower Kiba's body to the ground.

"Hold on!" Iruka almost yelped. Akamaru was sliding out of his battered flak vest, and he was about to put Kiba down on his injured chest. "You're about to make me drop Akamaru, and let me put Kiba down on his back. He's injured."

Shikamaru shifted his arms, and Iruka's arms responded accordingly. Kiba was deposited safely onto the ground, and Akamaru followed. The pup hobbled over to Kiba and rested his head on the shinobi's chest. Iruka smiled a little. Akamaru wouldn't be able to fight for a while, but he'd be fine eventually. The break had been clean.

Shikamaru and Iruka backed up, and Hinata and Chouji hurried forward to collect Kiba and Akamaru. Iruka felt pride and irritation rise up in his chest.

"He'll be fine. It's only an abrasion, really, and he's not bleeding. Akamaru leg _is_ broken, so be careful picking him up, Hinata," Iruka instructed without thinking. Hinata flinched when he said her name, and Iruka remembered that to them he was no better than Itachi and Kisame. He was a missing-nin.

Shino and Shikamaru traded glances. Well, now they had Iruka, but what would they do with him? The _Kage mane no jutsu_ wouldn't last much longer. Iruka could see their minds work through all the different plans. He knew them so well….better than they could even guess. Even if they _all_ attacked him he could get away from them.

"Shikamaru, if you let me go I'll just go back into the forest. If you need a testament of good will I've brought Kiba back to you and bandaged his wounds--" Iruka began.

"And he saved me," Kiba said, and his voice was only shaking a little. Kiba was on the ground and sitting up, and Iruka could tell he was confused. "And Akamaru too."

"Are you so surprised that I would?" Iruka asked softly. He could feel Shikamaru's hold on his body sway, and he knew the boy was reaching his limit. "Shikamaru, let me go and conserve your chakra."

Iruka was glad they didn't trust him, but some part of him felt betrayed. How could they think he could ever hurt them? He'd spent years teaching them so they wouldn't get hurt, but this was what he taught them. Never let your guard down. This was them staying alive. His little students were shinobi now.

"Shikamaru, just let him go," Kiba sounded tired. He looked at Iruka. "How did you get them to let us go?" Kiba asked as he gently picked up Akamaru.

Iruka smiled ruefully and felt his body come under his control again. "I have the luck of a hot headed idiot, I guess, and Same-san thinks I'm amusing. You should stay away from them in the future, though. I'm not sure how my luck will hold if I try to save you again."

"Why save Kiba but kill Kakashi?" Shikamaru asked in an even voice. He was standing between Iruka and the rest of the Genin, who were each ready for action.

Iruka sighed and just kept himself from flinching. "Kakashi didn't give me a choice, and..." How did he put it into words? He _couldn't_ let anyone harm his students. He couldn't watch them be hurt, let alone die. "You're my students."

"So we pose no threat to you?" Shikamaru had turned his sharp brain onto Iruka, and Iruka almost grinned.

"Honestly, you don't. I know your strengths and weaknesses to well for you to be a threat to me, but that's not the reason," Iruka paused and gathered his thoughts. "I spent four years teaching you six how to stay alive; do you honestly think I'd kill you after I went through all that trouble?"

"Or let someone else do it," Shino added, and Iruka could read some relief in the boy's stance. Were the Genin as hesitant to attack Iruka was Iruka was to attack them?

"Exactly," Iruka agreed. He almost felt at ease now.

"So why betray Konoha?" Ino asked loudly. She stood up and shook her head. She was angry and confused.

"Because they betrayed me first." Iruka heard bitterness creeping into his voice.

"How?" Shikamaru's hand was hovering near a kunai.

"Naruto's still alive," Iruka said, and then waved a hand to cut off any protests of exclamations. "The Kyuubi has control over his body, but Naruto's still alive. It's possible to put him back in control of his body."

"So why isn't Konoha doing that?" Shino asked. _Kikei_ bugs were swarming around him.

Iruka shrugged. "It's not a definite thing, and it would be so much easier for them just to kill Naruto and get rid of the problem that way." Or so they thought. Iruka wasn't going to let that be easy. He'd make Konoha regret its decision to kill Naruto.

Iruka looked at his students, and he could see they were shocked. They'd been in a class with Naruto for four years, and they had liked the prankster a little, at least. There was a certain camaraderie between shinobi who had gone through the Academy together. Iruka still remembered the Genin who'd graduated with him, and he remembered them fondly. Most of them were dead now.

Hinata looked particularly shell shocked by the news. Iruka had just stripped away another layer of his student's innocence. Konoha's justice was not infallible, and it did use shinobi like tools. They had been spared that truth for so long because of Konoha's peace, but now that truth was being shoved in their faces. Iruka's heart lurched.

"If you spread that around you'll probably only get into trouble, so don't. Just let it be and keep patrolling. You won't be bothered as long as you keep to the edges of the forest," Iruka assured the Genin.

"So you want us to go back and serve a village that lies to us?" Ino challenged.

"There's nothing else for you to do," Iruka replied. He wished he had something better to tell them. He half wished he could tell them to come with him and he'd keep them safe. He wished he could save them from seeing how dark and twisted the world really was. Konoha was a mass of twisted roots under the surface of clean bark and bright green leaves.

Iruka watched his former students' faces and saw that Shikamaru, at least, understood. He didn't like it, but he saw he had no other choice. Iruka wished he could offer them a better option. He wished he could make it all right like he had a few years ago, but he couldn't. This wasn't his classroom, and no one was using his rules.

There was an audible "thump." Iruka whipped around and came face to face with Kisame, who was grinning widely. All his lovely sharp teeth were displayed for the Genin. Iruka's hand snapped up into a defensive stance, and Kisame snorted.

"Don't try it Oikawa-chan, you'd lose. You really want to keep your little duckling safe, huh?" The fish-man leered menacingly at the Genin. "Well, since they're _your_ ducklings, Oikawa-chan, I might be able to leave them alone."

"How generous of you," Iruka grated out. All his shinobi instincts were screaming to bow his head and go along with Kisame, but his teacher instincts were screaming for him to kill Kisame and get rid of the threat to his students.

"Sure, why squash sugar ants? It's a waste of time and effort," Kisame said with a shrug.

_Unless you get bored._ Iruka realized, and saw the veiled threat to his students. He cleared his throat. "Let's go."

Kisame looked at Iruka, and for a moment there was a stand off. Kisame wanted Iruka to go first, and there was no way Iruka was letting Kisame get between him and his students. Kisame grinned. It was an '_Oh, I have what you want...shall I give it to you?_' sort of smile. A bully's smile.

Kisame gave a barely audible laugh and leapt off into the trees. Iruka glanced back at his students. There they were, young, strong, and growing. There were his students--his killers. There were his survivors. There was the future.

Iruka turned and jumped off into the forest, praying they would make it.

* * *

Kiba groaned and leaned back against Chouji. "Can we _please _go back to Konoha now?" he rasped.

Shikamaru turned and frowned. Kiba's chest wound was wide but not deep, though he was obviously in pain. He wasn't in immediate danger of dying or passing out from blood loss. He could wait a few minutes while Shikamaru reorganized his group.

Everyone was shaken by Iruka's appearance and his news. Shikamaru actually wasn't very surprised. He'd thought something strange was going on, and now he knew the truth, perhaps. Iruka could have been lying, or might have even been under the mind control of the shinobi he was with. There were many variables to consider, but right now...

"Chouji, you can carry Kiba, right?" Shikamaru didn't really need and answer. He knew Chouji could carry Kiba. He didn't wait for one either. "We'll head back to Konoha, regroup, and report."

"Report what?" Ino asked with a hand on her hip. "That we know we've been lied to and used?"

Shikamaru gave her a level look. This was troublesome. "Shinobi are meant to be used. We're tools to protect and enrich our village. The village trains us and in return we serve them. That's how it works. If you can't stand that then you shouldn't be a shinobi."

Ino glared, but she didn't argue. She'd learned verbal sparring was no good with Shikamaru. He either ignored it or plowed his opponent into the ground with one well thought paragraph. She didn't like losing, and she really didn't like people seeing her lose.

"What will we tell them?" Shino pressed, his voice calm. The bugs buzzing about as the only clue to the Aburame's agitation.

"Everything that happened, except what Iruka-se..." Shikamaru stumbled over the man's name. "What Iruka told us about Naruto." Iruka's name felt naked on Shikamaru's tongue without the 'sensei' attached to it. "They can make what they want of what happened."

Shino nodded, and the motion rippled through the group. Shikamaru looked at Hinata, and saw here chewing on her lip. She was taking all of this the hardest. Shikamaru would have to watch her closely. He could request she be removed from patrol, and someone might listen to him. It was unlikely though. He and his team had been almost forgotten, but if they didn't show up for patrol someone would probably remember them very quickly.

It was all very troublesome. "Well, let's go back."

The wind blew, stirring the deadfall at their feet and bringing a heavy musky ordor to them. Kiba sneezed.

* * *

**A/N: I have mixed feeling about this chapter, and I'll leave it at that. Sorry the update wasn't on Friday, I was babysitting all day.**

**Just to give you the heads up, I'm not sure how much longer the regular updates will be possible. I started college this week and I have no idea how much time I'll have to write. The next two updates are written and almost written, so now worries for the next two weeks. I'll try to stay on top of updating, but I can't make any promises.**

**Thanks to the reviewers: oni, MSYOU, RedTheRetard, WannabeFireFox, sasori-kun, Mare, Miranda Crystal-Bearer, Nicole Miklos, micah.n10, biacebaolck, tiddarifka, Shade, Wing Moon, Kei the Incarnadine Goddess, BlackDove-alchemist, Ice Dragon3, VescaWithoutWings, A kira, greengirl6, and icestar-comet-moon.**

**Jaa ne!**


	15. Ramble Riot

_I can't believe in yesterday,  
__I can't just stand by and watch you,  
__Save yourself,  
__As you fall from grace,  
__When you come around,  
__I won't be your sympathy.-_Burrito-Seether

* * *

"Raidou, my week sucked--scratch that, my _life_ sucks," Genma almost moaned. He was sprawled across Raidou's couch facing three more days of boredom before he was back on active duty. His fuzzy-headed feeling was gone, and he was beginning to wish he still couldn't process information rationally.

"I will drink to that, but if you want to have a suicide party it'll have to be in your apartment. I just cleaned my floors," Raidou drawled. He had just gotten back from a week-long mission, and he was as tired as Genma was restless.

Genma shifted. He was fidgeting like a kid. It was sulky fidgeting brought on by a troubled mind, and Raidou was very familiar with it. When Genma, who could usually keep still for hours, started twitching around like a hooked fish there was something bothering him, and since Raidou's couch had already moved across the floor three inches something was bothering Genma _a lot_.

"So, would you care to elaborate on why your whole life sucks now, and not just the time since you got your head thinking straight after your coma?" Raidou asked. He was cradling a cup of tea in his hands, and sipping it from time to time. Genma was too twitchy to hold his tea.

Genma dragged a hand through his hair. "Okay, first, promise you won't laugh or snort until I'm done, okay?"

Raidou gave Genma a flat look. He had been Genma's confidant long enough for the other man to know Raidou wouldn't do such a thing. Laughing before Genma got done explaining things was unthinkable, afterwards was acceptable. "Well, go on then."

Genma sighed and shifted again. He looked down at the floor and then up at Raidou. "It's just...I keep thinking, maybe...maybe if I _hadn't_ been in a coma I could have done something to stop Iruka."

Raidou set his cup down with a sharp 'clink' and looked at Genma. His friend's face was haggard, and there were shadows around his eyes. "Genma, you can't blame yourself for what happened."

"No, I don't blame myself, but do you know how surprised I was when Kakashi told me what happened? Not at all. It sounded like something Iruka would do." Genma sat up straight and scuffed a heel against Raidou's carpet. "See, like it or not, Raidou, I know Iruka as well as anyone. I spent three years almost constantly with that brat, and I learned about him.

"If...if I'd been awake maybe I could have stopped him from blowing up. Maybe I could have warned someone..." Genma trailed off and shook his head. "I should have given Kakashi a better warning. I saw Iruka rip a man's arm off when he was thirteen...there's no telling what he could do at twenty-three..."

Raidou didn't snort. "Honestly Genma, there was nothing you could do for Kakashi. He should have known not to let his guard down. A shinobi doesn't live to be twenty-six by being careless."

"That's just it, I don't think he let his guard down," Genma said, and for a moment Raidou thought Genma was about to wriggle out of his skin. "It sounds kinda crazy, but maybe Iruka managed to kill Kakashi by skill alone and not by some mistake Kakashi made."

"You think he could?" Raidou asked. He leaned his elbows on his knees and willed Genma to look him in the eye. It didn't work. Genma's eyes were as shifty as his body today.

"Maybe, maybe...fire and death, Raidou, I don't know. I just--I--" Genma suddenly shot to his feet and paced across the room once and then again before he could speak. "I feel like I should have done something _more_. I dedicated three years of my _life_ to those kids, and I knew them. I knew Iruka. I should have warned someone. I should have refused that mission and stayed here to watch out for him. I knew--"

"Genma!" Raidou slapped a hand down on his coffee table and Genma jumped. He looked wild-eyed to Raidou, and Raidou saw Genma was quivering all over. "Sit down and drink your tea. There's nothing else you could have down. You were Iruka's teacher _seven __**years **__**ago**_. He's not your responsibility anymore. He was an adult making his own choices, and you couldn't have changed them."

"I know. I know. I know..." Genma sat almost fell into the cushioned couch across from Raidou. He was silent and still for a long moment. Raidou began to think the storm of pent-up emotions and energy was past. Some shinobi ran missions because with nothing to do they went stir-crazy. Genma was one of those shinobi.

"Raidou, have you ever noticed how small an eight year-old's hands are?" Genma asked, his head tilted back to stare at the ceiling. Raidou picked up his cup again and swirled his tea.

"Not really. I don't spend much time around kids, you know," Raidou gave Genma a lopsided grin, though the other man couldn't see.

Genma was still and silent for a count of three seconds before he snapped his head down and looked Raidou in the eyes. "They're tiny. When Itachi first joined our team I could hold both his fists in my hand, and the rest of him was just as small. Raidou, I looked at him and I thought 'He's so small. He's so young. Why did they send me a child?'

"I couldn't remember ever being so small or so young. I kept thinking there was no way he'd ever make it. I never thought any of them would make it. There were all three so young, small, and innocent, and I kept thinking that there was no way I had ever been young and innocent like them. Then they grew, and I watched. They grew, and I built them up into killers."

Genma fell silent, and Raidou turned his cup in his hand. He couldn't look away from Genma's almost over-bight eyes. Those eyes burned out of the shadows and begged Raidou to understand something. Raidou nodded, though he had the feeling he'd never really understand what it was like to almost raise children for three years and turn them loose only to have each one find tragedy: two traitors and one corpse.

"I wonder what it's like for Iruka." Genma finally picked up his tea and took a sip. "He teaches his kids for four years, and then hands them off. How attached can you get in four years?"

Raidou didn't need to answer that. They both knew the answer to that.

"Genma," Raidou said as he leaned back in his chair. "Finish your tea and then go take a nap. You look terrible."

Genma blinked and reached up to touch the skin under his eyes as if he could feel the dark shadows there. He looked at Raidou and laughed. Raidou smiled. He gave Genma's shin a good-natured nudge under the table and received a half hearted kick in response.

Shinobi who lived to be twenty-eight didn't break easily. They bent, warped, and shifted, but by twenty-eight, if the shinobi wasn't already broken, there was little left that could break them. Genma was one of those shinobi, but Raidou was worried that Iruka would be the little thing left that could break Genma.

* * *

Iruka was face-down on the ground, his hands trailing deep in the water. The water was cool and refreshing against his arms, and the gentle play of light on the rippling surface was soothing. Iruka always found water comforting, no matter where he was or what was happening.

A fish tickled Iruka's fingers, but Iruka didn't move. He waited for something a little larger and wondered if he was brave or stupid enough to stick his arm under the bank again. Kisame had found a snapping turtle that way earlier today, and though the almost-severed digit didn't seem to bother Kisame it made Iruka wary of sticking his hand under the back. He knew he couldn't take an almost-severed finger as stoically as Kisame.

The two had been fishing most of the morning, more for something to do than the need for food. There was also the fact that Itachi was brain-storming, and small noises made him give people a _look._ Itachi's looks were unnerving and made Iruka want to check himself over for smoke.

"Oikawa-chan, if you don't catch that giant fish coming your way I will be very disappointed in you," Kisame drawled from where he lay on the opposite bank. Only one of his hands was in the water, but he'd caught just as many fish as Iruka.

Iruka glanced sideways and saw a fish as long as his forearm swimming lazily towards him. He didn't tense or relax. He simply watched it come closer and, when it was in reach, flicked his hands out and sat back with an excellent fish in his arms.

Iruka grinned. "I think we have enough. What do you think Same-san?"

"Eh, you can never have too many fish," Kisame replied, but he sat up and looked at the six fish he and Iruka had caught after a very lazy morning fishing. They'd only kept half of the fish they caught, but the fishing was more for amusement than anything else. They'd covered almost a mile of the wide stream, stopping at likely places as the whim took them. Iruka was beginning to feel like a school-boy playing hooky.

"Maybe Itachi's done doing deep thinking for today," Iruka suggested as he stood up. He pulled out a coil of wire and began threading his fish onto it.

"He's probably been done thinking for a long time and has been enjoying the silence..." Kisame paused and grinned. "That or the Kyuubi ate him." Iruka spluttered and then laughed. Itachi was someone Iruka knew the Kyuubi couldn't, or wouldn't eat. It was safe to joke about it.

It was so easy to drop his guard around Kisame now. It would be so simple just to let go and trust the fish-man, who was actually more like Iruka than Itachi was. It would be nice just to trust someone again and not have to go around guarded and suspicious all the time.

It would also be suicidal.

Iruka finished stringing his three fish and waited for Kisame before bounding up into the tree tops. Iruka was now more used to running through the tree tops than running on the ground. He bounced from branch to branch, his chakra rolling easily into his limbs to catch and repel the trees as needed.

Iruka suddenly stopped short, throwing up a hand to signal Kisame. His fish slapped against his leg, and his body tensed. The chakra Iruka had so carefully contained to his stomach, right under his newest scar, burned.

Kisame landed neatly by Iruka and looked down. He grinned at the sight. Milling around on the ground was a group of three Iwa shinobi. Iruka scowled at them. If the shinobi managed to get to the edge of the forest they could cause trouble for the Genin. They were probably older Chuunin and Jounin, and the Genin would have no chance against them.

Iruka suddenly grinned. "Same-san, it's been rather boring lately, hasn't it?"

Kisame raised an eyebrow. "Oh has it? I hadn't noticed, dear Oikawa-chan. Do you have some interesting diversion in mind?"

"As a matter of fact I do," Iruka replied, still grinning madly. "Those shinobi down there look a little bored, don't you think? Maybe we should go entertain them."

"And why would we want to do that?" Kisame asked, but Iruka knew Kisame would fight them. The fish-man was tensed all over and practically quivering. His eyes were wide, and Iruka wondered if his own grin looked that deranged and blood thirsty.

"Well, we technically live in this forest, and they are visiting the forest, and therefore us, since we live here. It's rude not to entertain your guests, Same-san," Iruka almost giggled. Sooner or later the Iwa shinobi would look up and see the two missing-nin perched in the tree. It was time to act. Now.

Iruka slid a kunai into the tree next to him and slipped the loop of wire holding his fish over it. He tapped the kunai with a fist to make sure it stayed put and the one still-wriggling fish wouldn't knock the kunai out of the tree. Kisame had just finished doing the same thing.

"When you put it that way I guess was have no choice," Kisame cackled and grinned. "You take the little one over there and I'll 'entertain' the other two." Iruka had no time to respond. Kisame leapt down from the tree, and Iruka sped down the tree trunk after him.

The Iwa shinobi jumped as Kisame hit the ground, and one was immediately gutted by a swing of Kisame's giant sword. Iruka trusted the second shinobi to Kisame and ran for the small one. They met with a clash of steel and thump of flesh. Iruka stared for one moment into brilliant green eyes, and then the two shinobi broke apart.

Iruka didn't even try Konoha techniques. He slid into Kiriga's liquid taijutsu and began trading blows and kunai with the green-eyed shinobi. The green-eyed shinobi, despite his small stature, seemed to be a taijutsu expert, too. He was young, a few years younger than Iruka. but that was irrelevant. He was just as likely to play dirty as an older shinobi. Playing dirty was what shinobi did.

Iruka nudged a punch aside and grabbed his opponent's elbow. He slammed the green-eyed shinobi into the ground, but before Iruka could twist and break the arm the green-eyed shinobi was sliding back to his feet and throwing kunai at Iruka. Iruka jumped back and threw kunai with exploding tags. They missed.

Iruka didn't think about Kisame. He didn't think about anything. He just fought. He slid under deadly attacks, he angled his own chakra-enforced knife strikes at the green-eyed shinobi's vital organs. He crouched and spun, ready, deadly, and gradually moving faster and faster.

Iruka grabbed the Iwa shinobi's shoulder and yanked him closer. Iruka intended to crush the other's throat with an elbow, but a whistling noise caught his attention. He threw himself forward, landing heavily on his opponent with a deadly crunch. Something sharp stung his shoulders.

Iruka rolled over his dead opponent and up to his feet, crouched and ready. The cuts along his shoulders burned, and he wondered if he was poisoned. He didn't know much about poisons and it didn't really matter if he was or not. He still had to fight. He still had to win. He still had to kill.

Iruka caught a movement out of the corner of his eye and dodged another fistful of kunai. He should have known that there would be more shinobi. Shinobi usually went in even-numbered groups, giving everyone a partner to keep up with and watch out for. There were probably either three or five more shinobi waiting to kill Iruka and Kisame.

Iruka's grin dared them to try.

Iruka's hands fell into signs and he leapt up a tree. Two water clones popped into existence. They were very unsteady clones made of only a little water pulled from the surrounding air, but they would hold up for a hit or two. Iruka sent his clones out along the ground and glanced down from his lofty perch.

Kisame was just finishing up with his opponent. The fish-man had dragged out the procedure and spread his opponent across the clearing for a few feet. Kisame easily swept aside the shuriken thrown at him with his sword and set off at an impressive pace in the direction the projectiles had come from.

Iruka jumped across branches and felt one of his clones disappear. The other dodged two blows and then exploded. Iruka jumped to another branch and dropped down. He landed in the midst of a singed group of shinobi. There were five--Iruka hadn't expected them to be all together, but Kisame would be here soon.

Iruka swung and slammed a knife-strike into one shinobi's throat. Iruka felt a snap as the shinobi's neck broke and he fell boneless to the ground. There were going to be no more easy kills. The ground beneath Iruka rocked and churned, and Iruka swore. Of course Iwa shinobi would have loads of earth jutsu at their disposal. Could Iruka lead them back to the stream he and Kisame had been fishing in?

There wasn't time or a chance to. Iruka pitched forward and felt a blow graze his temple. He threw himself down and rolled straight into the leg of one of the shinobi. Iruka came up with a fistful up kunai and stabbed them into someone's thigh. There was a scream. Iruka continued rising, rolled chakra into his arm, and punched hard into the first thing he saw.

He felt skin almost give way and an ominous squishy crunch. Someone gagged and puked over Iruka's shoulder. Someone else slammed a blow into Iruka's back and knocked him forward again. A punch flew at his face, and Iruka dodged, catching it in his shoulder instead. Kunai ripped past his ear.

The chakra in his stomach was raging. It was leaking out despite his half-hearted attempts to keep it under control. It snarled and growled at the attackers, promising to rip them all apart and feast on their entrails. It howled for their blood, and tried to burn its way into Iruka's chakra.

Iruka fell and rolled again. He came up and whirled around, throwing two handfuls of shuriken at his attackers. There were only four now. Where was Kisame? He should be here by now. The ground under Iruka lurched again, and he staggered. Two of the Iwa shinobi ran at him, and Iruka felt he was going to die.

Snarling, burning, terrifying bloodlust suddenly leapt over Iruka's shoulder, slamming one of the shinobi into the ground and breaking him open with a quick flick of an arm. Iruka almost didn't feel the hard blow to his stomach as the overwhelming chakra hit him, and the smell tried to smother him.

The Iwa shinobi that had just hit Iruka gagged and threw up. He staggered back and clutched at his stomach, eyes wide and terrified. Sweat broke out on his face and he looked around at the burning death with a terror written all in his body posture. Iruka almost felt sorry for him. This was a terrible way to die.

The shinobi was suddenly knocked through the air and smashed into the nearest tree. Iruka flinched at the noise and gagged as the smell around him seemed to double in strength. He pried his streaming eyes open and looked. There was the Kyuubi, eyes wide and red, covered in blood. It looked at Iruka, and his heart pounded in his chest. His legs gave out from under him, and he began shaking so hard he bit his tongue.

"Oi!" There was a shout and the Kyuubi looked away. Iruka gasped for breath and looked over at the shouting. It was Kisame. He was calmly walking towards them, his sword down and everything about him non-threatening. The Kyuubi snarled and crouched.

"Myyyyy sssssensssei," it hissed. "Myyy 'Rrruuka-ssennsssei."

Iruka lurched to his feet and stumbled around between the Kyuubi and Kisame. He spread his trembling arms a bit and tried twice before he could speak. "It's okay Naruto. Kisame's my friend. He's helping me." Iruka managed to say.

The Kyuubi crouched down farther and looked up at Iruka. Its eyes weren't narrowed. They were wide open and the pupils were huge. Its tail lashed and Iruka felt his heart start racing faster. If it stared at him much longer his heart might just give out. He was beginning to feel light-headed.

"Myyy sssssenssei," the Kyuubi growled, standing up to glare at Kisame. "Miiiine." With that and a burst of chakra the Kyuubi leapt, rocketing up and way into the trees.

Iruka's legs gave out and he collapsed. Kisame caught him casually with one arm. Iruka clutched weakly to the fish-man's arm and tried to breathe. He felt sick and dizzy. He felt weak and useless. Even the burning chakra in his stomach seemed subdued and weary.

There wasn't much left of the Iwa shinobi, and what was left was burnt and mangled. Some body parts had been flung yards away and lay smoldering. In less than a minute the Kyuubi had laid waste to four shinobi, and it hadn't even been scratched.

"Remind to never try to kill you while that thing's around," Kisame said. Iruka chuckled miserably and threw up.

* * *

**A/N:Anyone notice how much Iruka pukes in this story or just gets completely trashed? Character torture? Me? Naw!(By the way, the tentative chapter count for Burning Deadfall is twenty-three chapters! Almost there ya'll!)**

**GENMA AND RAIDOU! Yeah! There will be more of those two in times to come, so I hope you love them as much as I do. Genma will try to be more presentable next time around, but he's just a little bit stressed right now.**

**Thanks to all the reviewers:jazzy2may, Justhere101, Yanslana, WannabeFirefox, biacebaolck, Kei the Incarnnadine Goddess, Tra la la la, Miranda Crystal-Bearer, sasori-kun, Mare, Nicole Miklos, CWolf2, umino-gaara, RedTheRetard, VescaWithoutWings, Ice Dragon3, greengirl6, MSYOU, A kira, and icestar-comet-moon!**

**Over 200 reviews! You guys are awesome!**

**See you next Friday!**


	16. Imperfect Reasons

_Now I feel unknown,  
And it's safe that way,  
Are you too bored to care or too dumb to be scared  
Now what's that supposed to mean?  
Burnt out on some empty reasons,  
Another waste of time...  
Someday you never made it,  
Maybe you never will,  
Hey, you never made it,  
Now, ain't that unusual?-_Ain't That Unusual-Goo Goo Dolls

* * *

"Only you could go away fishing and come back half-dead." Itachi sounded neither amused nor irate, but he could just be concentrating on gathering enough chakra to incinerate Kisame and Iruka on the spot.

"I'm _not_ half-dead," Iruka almost whined. He was still shaking. He'd bitten his tongue hard enough to make it bleed, and he had gotten a notch taken out of his ear. Everything else was just bruises and scrapes, except for the poisoned cuts Iruka had already swallowed an antidote for. Unfortunately the antidote was making Iruka feel nauseated and feverish.

"You will be more than half-dead if we have to fight or run from anyone in the next twelve hours," Itachi pointed out. He was expertly cooking the fish Iruka and Kisame had brought back with their 'half-dead' selves. Kisame was evidently contrite about letting Iruka get half-dead and wasn't protesting the ruining/cooking of the fish.

Iruka wrapped his arms around his stomach and pulled his knees up to his chest. He felt vulnerable, terrified, and miserable. He wanted to curl up on his old, beaten up couch and eat ramen. He wanted to sit in the teacher's lounge and drink bad coffee while grading papers late into the night. He just wanted to go back six months--no, more like eight. Before Naruto's seal was broken. Before Sandaime had died. Before Hayate had died.

Itachi made a noise almost like he'd cleared his throat, but Iruka had never heard the Uchiha clear his throat. Iruka looked up at Itachi, and found the younger man was focused on cooking the fish. Kisame was also looking at the Uchiha. Itachi flicked his grey eyes up to them and then back to the fish.

"I heard something interesting in the village yesterday," Itachi began. Iruka almost giggled. The words sounded like a gossipy housewife getting ready to tell her husband what tidbits she'd managed to pick up while out shopping.

Itachi let a glance slide over Iruka that said he knew Iruka was trying not to laugh. "Jiriaya is in Konoha now. He just got back a week ago from looking for Tsunade, who is wanted to serve as the next Hokage."

Iruka tensed and Kisame raised his eyebrows. Jiraiya? The legendary Sannin was in Konoha? Now? Iruka broke out in a cold sweat. Kakashi was the student of Jiraiya's student. Would Jiraiya feel the need to extract revenge from the pitiful Chuunin who'd killed Kakashi? Technically the Sannin were Jounin, but they were an entirely different league than other Jounin.

"I doubt he has time to waste coming after you," Itachi said as he watched Iruka's reaction. "There's nothing for you to worry about...Oikawa-chan."

"He's right, no bullfrog is going to spend his time chasing after a little minnow like yourself. Minnows and frogs are in different world, Oikawa-chan," Kisame grinned toothily. "So, Itachi, what's Jiraiya have to do with us, hmm?"

Itachi flipped the slabs of fish-meat over before he answered. "Jiraiya is, if I recall correctly, an expert in sealing jutsu. I seem to recall a certain sealing jutsu, rather generic but very strong, that wasn't avaliable to just anyone. Only certain people knew about its exsistance, and even fewer people have ever seen the inside of the scroll."

"And you think Jiraiya has it?" Kisame perked up. Breaking into Konoha again would certainly be fun for the fish-man.

Iruka had a sinking suspicion trying to steal anything from Jiraiya would be an instant ticket to the very dankest and darkest torture chamber ANBU could dig up: and for comrade-killers ANBU could dig _deep_.

"I know Jiraiya has it. It was a mission I was assigned to," Itachi began. "We were supposed to retreive a scroll from a group of shinobi traveling through Konoha and return it to Konoha. I handed it personally over to Jiraiya himself, and--due to the nature of the scroll--I'm certain he still has it."

"So how are we supposed to get it?" Iruka croaked. He had a sinking supsicion they were about to break into Konoha again, but unlike last time they proabaly wouldn't get out. Pain was making Iruka into a pessimist...or maybe a realist.

"We steal it from him, unless you'd like to ask him if you can borrow it, Oikawa-chan," Kisame said with a delighted grin. The mental image of Iruka being dismembered was probably causing his grin. Iruka shifted his attention to Itachi, and he knew there was a pleading look on his face. He really hoped Itachi had a brilliant plan already spawned by his genuis brain.

"Jiraiya does have a weakness with women," Itachi began, and Iruka wilted.

"That's so well-known it can't be a weakness. Practially everyone my age and older knows that," Iruka groused. Pain was also making him suicidal. "And unless you plan to grow breasts and wide child-bearing hips I don't think that will help us any."

Kisame snorted. He was fast getting over his contrition. Itachi gave Iruka an exasperated look. Iruka felt like a child, and wished the antidote would hurry up and either kill him or cure him.

* * *

By dusk Iruka was feeling better and he was restless. Kisame and Itachi were tossing around ideas about how to get the scroll from Jiraiya. Iruka was sick of listening to nasty-sounding jutsu he had never even heard of, and the constant assumption stealing from Jiraiya was even possible. The antidote was finished with him, and now Iruka felt tired and ill.

Itachi and Kisame started in on another scenario, and Iruka stood. He irritably pulled two packs of instant ramen out of a bag. Kisame and Itachi were watching him as they spoke, and Iruka felt even more irritated. His stomach was burning.

"Going somewhere?" Itachi asked with a half-lidded gaze. He looked like a cat ready to pounce.

"To eat ramen with Naruto," Iruka replied. "Since whatever contributions I could make to your planning would undoubtably be inferior to your own." He was aware there was a biting tone in his voice. He didn't really want to be part of the planning process, but he didn't like having his concerns pushed away like a child's.

Iruka shifted his chakra and readied himself for the leap into the tree tops. Instinct saved him. He dropped low and swung to the side, only receiving a grazing blow. He still flew across the clearing, rolling and jumping to his feet. He should have stayed down. Iruka blocked the next blow, which came from Kisame's sword. The rough skin bit through his sleeve and into his flesh. Iruka, already bruised and weakened from the poison, went tumbling down into the dead leaves.

Iruka started to struggle to his feet again, something in him surging to get up and fight back. He needed to avenge himself. He needed to show those humans what happened when the messed with him. He needed to make them beg him for mercy before he ripped them apart. Iruka cut his tongue with his tooth and froze.

His teeth were sharp--they'd never been that sharp. His skin was tingling unpleasantly all over and his stomach was on fire. With an effort Iruka sat up and looked up at Kisame. Oh, he wanted to go for the man's throat. He wanted to jump up fighting and killing. Iruka wrestled his mind back under his own influence and discreetly flipped through some signs that would push the Kyuubi's chakra back down.

Itachi walked up beside Kisame and looked down at Iruka, Sharingan flashing. "We don't _need_ you. I can do what I need to do without you. I can do it with you even if you don't want to work with me. It'll be harder for me, but I _can_ do this without you or your consent. You on the other hand, need us. You're lost without us.

"In the interest of saving time and making things easier we're going to work with you, but only if you behave. Kisame would love to restrain you, if that's how you want to do it. We could do it that way, but I doubt you'd like that."

Iruka felt a shiver from the Kyuubi's chakra. This wasn't him. The raging blood lust and instinct to kill everything that challenged him wasn't Iruka. It was the Kyuubi, just a small part of the Kyuubi, trying to take root in Iruka and take him over. It had sunk itself deep into him and leapt for control when he was tired. It was like a chronic infection, and Iruka needed to get rid of it as soon as he could. How could he do that?

Itachi stepped forward, kunai still in hand.

Iruka reacted without thinking. It wasn't him. It was the red, hot, _burning_ chakra in his stomach. He whipped around, his left hand clawed with the vague intent to disembowel Itachi--to see him bleed and beg for mercy right before Iruka ripped his throat out and--

Iruka grabbed his left hand with his right and toppled over, consumed by the fight against the burning chakra. He was weak. His own chakra was drained again, and the ordeal of the poison and antidote had left his physically weaker than he'd thought. It felt impossible to pull the red chakra back down. Iruka struggled, unable to make signs because his left hand kept trying to twitch into a claw.

Iruka was certain that containing the Kyuubi's chakra had never been this hard before. Had it gotten stronger or was Iruka just that much weaker? How could he be weaker _now_ than he'd been after Kakashi had nearly killed him? The fight with the Iwa shinobi hadn't been _that_ draining. It shouldn't be this hard to contain so little chakra...

Iruka finally pulled his hands into the signs to help him channel his chakra. He pulled and pushed the red chakra inch by inch back around his scar. As he felt it settle he knew there was more chakra than there had been to begin with. It resisted him harder and burned more fiercely. Maybe, just maybe, it was a trick of the mind because Iruka was so tired, but he didn't think it was.

Iruka heard Kisame shift his feet. He looked up, suddenly aware that he was sweating and shaking. Why did he always end up trembling and weak on the ground while Kisame and Itachi stood strongly over him?

"And what was that?" Itachi asked, his Sharingan whirring so fast the _tomoe_ were black blurs. Kisame's pupils were pin points, and Iruka felt a surge from the chakra in his stomach.

Iruka bowed his head and gritted his teeth. His hands were still clenched in a sign, and he wondered if he could hold the chakra down if he relaxed his hands. He felt weak and slightly scared. Would the Kyuubi's chakra end up taking him over to? Would he lose himself to his parent's killer before he even got a chance to save Naruto?

Iruka looked back up and managed a mangled smile. "Well, you see..."

Iruka felt like his explanation was stuttering and completely incoherent, but Itachi seemed to follow it rather well. Iruka talked, and Itachi fired questions at Iruka. All the time the chakra in Iruka's stomach burned, and he felt sick.

Itachi finally stopped asking questions and ate with a thoughtful look on his face. Iruka could almost see the gears in Itachi's head turning. The genius Uchiha was processing information and changing his entire future plans around them. Nothing seemed to ruffle Itachi. He took everything in stride and simply tweaked or trashed his plans as needed. There was a reason Itachi had made Genin at eight. He was, undeniably, a genius.

Now the genius had withdrawn into his own world with his charcoal eyes on Iruka. He wasn't actually seeing Iruka, though. He was seeing whatever was turning around in his head. Iruka was just the physical point Itachi had chosen to stare at, or through, while he thought. Iruka felt like a window.

"So," Itachi blinked and he was focused on Iruka. "The Kyuubi's chakra grew after it got into your chakra network and tried to take you over. So, since Naruto is basically in the same situation, the longer we wait to reseal him the more of the Kyuubi's chakra there will be, and the less likely it will be we'll succeed."

Itachi shifted his gaze to Kisame. "We're on a time table now. The sooner we get this done the better, and," Itachi looked back at Iruka, "the better the chance that you will be able to get Naruto back. The longer we delay the more of him will be lost to the Kyuubi."

Iruka shuddered. If the small amount of chakra inside him had grown so fast how long did Naruto have? Could he still get his student back? "How soon can we get that scroll from Jiraiya?"

Itachi pretended to calculate, but he wasn't fooling Iruka. He already had everything planned out. "Tomorrow night, if you can keep that chakra under control."

"A-as long as I don't get this exhausted again I should be able to, but I can't make any promises," Iruka responded. He wrapped his arms unconsciously around his stomach, as if his arms could hold the chakra down.

"Good," Itachi's reply was curt and Iruka almost bristled.

"So, what is the plan?" Iruka pressed. He could see Itachi weighing the advantages of leaving Iruka in the dark or telling him. The Uchiha was a sadist at heart.

"You and I will sneak into Konoha and steal Jiraiya's scroll." Itachi flicked a hand up in a 'wait a minute' motion. "I know a genjutsu that will help, and while the genjutsu is in effect you will go in and steal the scroll."

Iruka got the sinking feeling tomorrow night might be his last night alive and still able to form coherent sentences.

* * *

Jiraiya had grown up in Konoha. As a young shinobi Konha had been his play ground. He ran up buildings, trees, and made himself a nuisance by being places no child had a right to be. Shinobi techniques were dangerous in the hands of a mischievous youth like Jiraiya, who delighted in using deadly techniques to pull off mostly harmless pranks.

As a result of his wild childhood Jiraiya knew almost every street in Konoha from the main highways to the tiny alleyways. Whenever he was in Konoha he felt at home. There was something about the wind in through the trees and the general smell and feel of the place that made Jiraiya feel like that. Even now that the village was cutting itself to ribbons it was still home.

Konoha needed a Hokage. Councils were all well and good, but someone needed to be able to stand up to Konoha's political leader and say 'enough'. Someone needed to take the shinobi's side and say that they were being run to death. The council was now too riddled with guilt to do their job correctly, and was scrambling to cover up what had happened. The sooner Tsunade got here the better. She'd be able to whip everyone into shape, but if she took much longer there wouldn't be anything of Konoha left to salvage.

Jiraiya paused in his walk and shifted his bag of groceries. Loitering in front of the hospital were two shinobi he recognized. He remembered them being shorter and cuter, but the one's scar was impossible to mistake. What they were doing outside the hospital sharing a cigarette?

"Genma and Raidou, right?" Jiraiya grinned as the two gave tiny jumps and stared at him. Sannin didn't just randomly wander up to people and start talking to them for no reason.

"That's right," Genma took a short drag of the cigarette, which was almost gone. He handed it to Raidou, who took a quick puff before putting it out.

"Can we help you?" Raidou asked.

"Not really, I was just making sure my old brain was remembering the right names," Jiraiya only half-lied. "You know, if you just got out of there the nurses are gonna kill you for smoking out here."

Genma laughed. "No, no, I've been out for a while now. We were visiting."

"Oh, who? I probably know them too," Jiraiya dropped one of his bags on the ground and prepared to chat. He needed to catch up on the local rumors anyway.

"Hagane Kotetsu," Raidou supplied. "I've run border patrol with him a few times and I thought I should drop in and see how he was doing."

Jiraiya almost smiled. Shinobi never lacked visitors while they were in the hospital. "Ah, Kotetsu. I helped teach his class for a few weeks during his first year at the Academy. So, how is the brat?"

Raidou winced and Genma scowled. "Physically he'll be up and working in a week or two but..."

Raidou picked up the report. "His partner died, and it was one of those missions where somewhere someone screwed up and the shinobi running the mission pay for it."

Jiraiya nodded. He'd been on a few of those in his time. He also knew what it was like to lose a partner. The guilt of surviving when your comrades had died was bad enough, but if the two had been running missions together for a while it would be even worse. Shinobi tended to get regularly paired up with either a certain person or a certain group of people depending on how they well they worked with each other.

"Long-time partner?" Jiraiya asked, but he thought he saw the answer in the grimness of Genma's face.

"Yeah, Kamizuki Izumo," Genma almost growled. "They brought him back in a _bag._ Kotetsu's a little...distressed about it."

Probably more like off-the-wall-insane, if the mission had been really bad. Shinobi were only human and could take only so much. These past few months had pushed every shinobi to his limits, and some were breaking, either physically or mentally. Jiraiya didn't know which was better.

Maybe he should drop by and visit Kotetsu later. Just for old time's sake.

"Well, take care you two," Jiraiya said as he grabbed his bag up again. "Should I be checking the hospital for you both within the next few days?"

Genma laughed bitterly. "Yeah, sure, but we'll either both be in there or both in little body bags."

Jiraiya nodded and headed on his way. Sometimes it was easier to die with your partner than to live on without them. Sometimes that was the only way to go on. Jiraiya had a sinking feeling Konoha would lose a lot more good shinobi before Tsunade got here. He wished her luck and speed. She and Konoha needed both.

* * *

**A/N:Iruka has a serious problem with mood swings. Maybe he should avoid being written by a teenage girl. Updates will continue as usual unless I tell you different. I wrote three pages to this story yesterday so there's hope for regular updates all the way to the end!**

**Thanks to the reviewers:tra la la, ayakane, oni, IHaveNoAccount, Mare, RedTheRetard, Marz1, AllyPlz, MSYOU, WannabeFireFox, micah.n10, Anonymously Stupid, icestar-comet-moon, sasori-kun, umino-gaara, greengirl6, VescaWithoutWings, A kira, random person, Nicole Miklos, Ice Dragon3, and Miranda Crystal-Bearer.**

**Love you all so much!**

**Jaa ne!**


	17. Peeping Sneak

_Watchin' myself and I'm takin' strides,  
__But here comes the moon,  
__And it feels, and it feels like an informer,  
__Quick, runaway, hide, before they see you,  
__You know it is all, all aglow,  
__Walking on water feels perilous now,  
__You've got my trust and it feels, and it feels,  
__Like sabotage, but I'm pulling triggers back on myself,  
__And you know it is all, all I know, it's all I know-_Tyrant-OneRepublic

* * *

Iruka's feet were perilously close to getting nibbled on, or at least that was what it felt like to Iruka. As many times as he told himself the Kyuubi was more interested in the ramen than Iruka's toes he still felt nervous. Today Iruka couldn't tell if he was sharing his ramen with the Kyuubi or with Naruto. The fact that Iruka hadn't been eaten yet pointed towards Naruto, but the boy hadn't said anything to Iruka yet.

Iruka was torn between depression and anger. This might be the last time he saw Naruto, or it could be the last time he saw the Kyuubi in control of Naruto's body. There was no way to know which, and he wished he could be sure Naruto would hear what he was about to say. He wished he could see his dandelion boy's big grin one more time before he waltzed off to certain doom.

"Naruto..." Iruka paused and sighed before continuing. "Can you hear me today?"

The Kyuubi-Naruto continued to scarf down ramen.

"Well, in any case, Itachi and I are going back into Konoha tonight. We're going to steal a scroll from Jiraiya that will put you back in control of your body, all right? You won't have to fight the Kyuubi any more, and then..."

Then what? Iruka couldn't go back to Konoha, and could he trust them enough to let Naruto go back? What would they do after Naruto was back in control of his body? What could they do? Where could they go?

"Jiraiya? The old pervert is still here?" Naruto looked up with a noodle trailing out of his mouth. Iruka smiled and laughed.

"Yeah, yeah, he's here, and I hope he sleeps hard! Just hang in there a little while longer, okay Naruto?" Iruka smiled widely as he could and reached out to ruffle Naruto's hair. Naruto ducked his head away and grinned before scarfing down some more ramen.

"Thass good, ya know, 'cause it's getting really hard to be in my own head," Naruto didn't grin this time. "How long?"

"Well, with the genius Itachi working on it, maybe a day or two, but I don't know," Iruka hoped his smile didn't look as fragile as it felt. "Hang in there, okay?"

Naruto grinned. That grin said he'd 'hang' as long as Iruka told him to. There was nothing he thought Iruka-sensei couldn't do, and Iruka was afraid this one thing—this very, very important thing, would be the one thing he couldn't do.

"Yeah, just hang in there, Naruto."

* * *

Iruka and Itachi walked in through the front gates of Konoha. As crazy as it seemed they did it, and no one noticed. Iruka almost had an epileptic fit when one of the gate guards looked at him, but no one started yelling for them to stop, and no ANBU materialized. It didn't stop Iruka from feeling like there were eyes boring into the back of his skull and ants crawling under his skin.

Itachi had resorted to purely physical disguises. Make-up artfully applied by Kisame left Iruka's tan--which was twice as deep as normal due to the fact he was living outside now--appear as light as a normal Konoha complexion. Itachi's Uchiha-pale skin was darker, making his eyes stand out less, and he was wearing red and brown instead of black. Iruka was in mostly blue, which made his eye look blue instead of black. Black was the color most people said his eyes were, and only a few people had ever seen them in good enough light to know they were blue.

Iruka had been surprised when Itachi had delegated the make-up applying to Kisame, but after further thought it made sense. Kisame was _blue_, and a shinobi. He had to be used to, and good at, disguising his skin color. Making Iruka and Itachi a little lighter or darker would be easy for someone who had to routinely change his face from blue to pink or brown

Itachi gave Iruka a very casual poke and headed off down an alley way. Iruka had grown up in the seedy distract they were now wandering about in, and he probably could have led better than Itachi. He didn't mention it. He wasn't in any shape to be making major decisions right now. He wasn't in any condition to be running a suicide mission where stealth was the only possible way to make it out alive. Iruka was _wired_.

Dusk was falling, and as soon as full dark fell they would make their move. It was a moonless night and escape would be easy, assuming Jiraiya wasn't giving chase. Getting out of Konoha would be easy if Itachi's plan worked and the Sannin didn't get his hands on them. If he did…..

_Mind on the current task!_ Iruka chided himself roughly. He was a shinobi; he could concentrate on a little mission like this. He could focus his mind solely on his mission for the next three or so hours. He had to.

If he didn't he really _would_ end up dead…..or worse.

There was always an 'or worse' in a shinobi's line of work. Shinobi never asked what could be worse, because there was always something that was worse. It was best not to think about the 'worse' and get on with what had to be done. Ignore what wasn't the problem now and do what had to be done. That was what Iruka needed to do. For now that was follow Itachi and then execute his own part of the plan flawlessly. Then he could save Naruto.

It was easy to spend the time 'till dark fell walking through Konoha. They stayed away from the more shinobi-oriented places and wandered mostly through civilian markets. Iruka saw a fish monger who reminded of his mother and smiled. She was a brown woman with a sharp voice and tongue, but as soon as she made a good sale she was laughing and chattering like a brook.

_Well, _'Kaa-san_, I hope you're proud of me. I know no one else is now_, Iruka grinned a little at the thought. There wasn't really anyone alive to be disappointed in him now.

Itachi was easy enough to follow, though their pace was more of an amble instead than anything else. Itachi stopped from time to time to examine something in a stall, sometimes asking Iruka what he thought of it. The voice Itachi used was light and friendly. He bantered happily with some of the stall keepers and Iruka was amazed. Once again there was the reason Itachi was a genius. There was nothing he wasn't superb at. Iruka could never hope to match him.

As darkness fell Itachi changed direction and pace. Soon the two were mixing with larger crowds heading in and out of bars. Some were shinobi off duty and others were civilians. Iruka had never visited any bars himself after his fiasco with the Hyuuga, but he knew some by reputation. Hayate and Yuuago had liked the Rain Crow, and some of Iruka's fellow teachers had been fond of River's Edge. Iruka noted the places as he and Itachi passed them.

Jiraiya, unsurprisingly, lived on the edge of this district, close to the shinobi-dominated part of Konoha. Itachi said the Sannin lived alone in a small apartment crammed with scrolls, books, and other things. He would probably be out drinking, but if he was inside his apartment Itachi claimed he knew what to do. Iruka hoped he would.

The crowds were getting thicker. Iruka almost lost sight of Itachi and surged forward to catch up to him. He knocked into someone's shoulder and spun around. The person swore lightly at Iruka, it sounded more like reflex than anything else. Iruka jerked and froze up as he heard the voice and saw the face.

Honey-colored eyes looked down at him, and there was a cigarette in the mouth instead of the usual senbon. Still, there was no mistaking him. Iruka had just managed to bump into one of the only people in Konoha likely to recognize him. He really did have the luck of an idiot.

Shiranui Genma cocked his head and opened his mouth to speak. Iruka could smell the alcohol and smoke on his former sensei's breath. Iruka tensed all over and prepared for the condemning shout of his name. It wouldn't even take a shout. Genma just needed to recognize him and that would be it. There was no way Genma wouldn't recognize Iruka.

A hand suddenly caught Iruka's, and Iruka turned to see Itachi. The grey eyes were wide open and there was an almost playful smile on Itachi's face. It looked completely out of place.

"C'mon Niji! You promised to take me to the Scarlet Lady for my birthday, ne? It's down the street, come _on_," Itachi almost-begged with a tug on Iruka's sleeve.

Genma's eyes went to Itachi, and they maybe widened a bit. Itachi and Iruka didn't stick around to see what else the man would do. Itachi ducked and pulled Iruka back into the anonymity of the crowd.

As they walked away Iruka caught the sound of Genma's voice: "Raidou, I just saw Iruka and Itachi..."

"I didn't think you'd had _that_ much to drink already, Genma. I think it's time to go home now," Raidou replied. The rest of the conversation was lost in the noise of the crowd. Iruka nearly ran back. He'd missed voices he knew. He missed voices of people he could trust without worrying about betrayal.

Of course now there was no one like that. Genma couldn't be trusted because Iruka had betrayed Konoha. The same could be said of dozens of other people Iruka had known and fought beside over the years. Iruka couldn't even trust Naruto while the Kyuubi had partial control of body. Could Iruka even trust himself to hold up under all the pressure?

Iruka shook off his thoughts and slipped through the crowd after Itachi. The different-colored lights, smells of food, and press of people were almost overpowering. After being outside Konoha for so long, being thrust into the midst of the night-life was almost dizzying. Iruka wondered if Itachi had the heady feeling Iruka had, but he probably didn't. Geniuses were probably immune to such trivial things.

Iruka grabbed the edge of Itachi's sleeve to keep up with him better and tried vainly to clear his mind. He felt like he'd been released straight from a prison into a party. Everything was loud, colorful, and inviting. He'd forgotten what it was like to be in the press of so many bodies. He'd forgotten what it was like to walk down a street filled with places that sold food. He'd forgotten so many things.

What else had he forgotten in his self-imposed exile?

Itachi stopped. He looked up and ducked away into the shadows of an alley. Iruka followed. They went over some walls, across a roof or two, and ended up on the roof of an older apartment complex. Iruka recognized the building, and could think of no reason why Jiraiya would stay here. It wasn't too far from where Iruka had lived while he was still a teacher.

How long ago had that really been? It felt like years.

Itachi gave him a sharp look, and Iruka nodded back. He was as ready as he'd ever be. There was no turning back; not that there had ever been another option for Iruka. Chance and circumstance kept thrusting him farther and farther forward into a tangled mess of betrayal, death, and foolish hopes.

The lights of the apartment below them were off, but that didn't mean much. Itachi closed his eyes and Iruka waited on pins and needles. Was Jiraiya inside or not? Would this be easier than he'd thought? If Jiraiya was out then both Iruka and Itachi could go in and retrieve the scroll, but if Jiraiya wasn't Itachi would need to stay outside and work his 'genjutsu magic.'

Itachi finally opened his eyes and nodded. Jiraiya was inside the apartment. Things were going to be hard. Maybe even impossible. Iruka could be seeing the sky for the last time. He could be seeing anything for the last time. Jiraiya was Sannin for a reason, and Iruka was definitely Chuunin for a reason when it came to sneaking and stealth.

Itachi crouched where he'd be mostly out of sight and began slipping his hands through seals. He went slowly, his hands melting from one sign to the next. Iruka watched for the first few and then wrenched his eyes away. The genjutsu was subtle but strong. It was supposed to lull anyone close enough to sleep, but Itachi was specifically targeting Jiraiya, and he was sure it would work. Iruka could only hope it did.

Itachi frowned, and gave Iruka a little nod. Iruka inched his way across the roof and swung down to hang neatly from the eaves. He leaned forward and caught his fingers on the ledge of the first window. He swung down and stuck his feet to the wall, and slithered down to perch around the next window.

There were two traps, one of them standard and one of them not. Iruka had loved traps as a child, and he still liked them, though he rarely had the time to set any. Taking these down wasn't easy, but it was doable. Iruka felt almost competent as he eased the traps apart and slipped in through the window. He stepped gingerly down into the apartment. He'd just snuck into Jiraiya's apartment.

Doom had never smelled so much like old sake before.

Iruka stood still. He slowly flipped his hands through signs and waited for the jutsu to take effect. The room became slowly visible, and as soon as Iruka could read the names of the books on the shelf to his left he began to move slowly.

Itachi had described the scroll in detail only an Uchiha could provide: red scroll, blue edging, gold writing, and probably tied with a black string. Itachi even remembered the words on the scroll, and Iruka had hammered those into his own head before leaving the forest. The last thing he needed to do was grab the wrong scroll.

Iruka was utterly dismayed as he looked around. There were scrolls everywhere. Everything was jumbled up together, and Iruka could almost feel the cold manacles around his wrists. He almost bolted, but he was already here. He needed to at least look around.

Iruka stepped carefully and kept a look out for traps. He started looking over the book-shelves first. Jiraiya was evidently a voracious reader, if he'd read even half of the books he owned. Iruka flinched as he saw a familiar row of orange-bound books. He'd never read them himself, but he'd heard enough to know Kakashi was rarely without his own copy of the risqué book.

Guilt was something all shinobi learned to deal with in one way or another. Iruka usually spent anywhere from a few hours to a few days kicking himself around and then moved on. Killing Kakashi, when he thought about it, still made him cringe a little. Certainly he'd had no choice, but killing Kakashi had made Iruka a comrade killer. Iruka had given many lectures to his students on how comrade killers were the worst of the worst.

Iruka moved on to the next bookshelf.

The scroll wasn't in any of the book shelves. Iruka didn't know how long he'd been searching, but he was starting to sweat. How long would Itachi's jutsu hold? What if Jiraiya didn't have the scroll anymore? Was this a wild goose chase? Should Iruka just leave now?

No, he couldn't leave. He had to find the scroll, and he had to find it now. Naruto needed it. Iruka moved onto the boxes, checking each for traps before he began looking through them. Dust tickled his nose but he refused to sneeze. Where was that stupid scroll anyway?

Iruka moved on to a small pile of scrolls on the floor and frowned. The one in his hand looked almost right. It was the right colors. Could this be it?

No, the words were wrong. Iruka set it down and moved on, deflated. His eyes were beginning to ache under the strain of the jutsu. He couldn't keep it up much longer without permanently damaging his eyes. His vision was already going fuzzy and dark at the corners. He didn't have much longer to--

The lights came on.

Iruka muffled a shout and threw his arms up in front of his eyes. The light seared into his over-sensitive eyes and blinded him. He crouched where he was, eyes squeezed shut and seeing only a dazzling array of rainbow-colored spots on the inside of his eyelids. He prayed Itachi was playing some sort of sick joke on him, because the only other option was...

"Well, well, to what do I owe this pleasure, Umino Iruka?"

That was _not_ Itachi's voice.

* * *

**A/N:Cliffhanger of doom! I'm sorry ya'll, but it had to end here! I swear you'll get to see Iruka get 'Sannin'ed next chapter!**

**Thanks to the reviewers: Juniperbreezie, Airily, MSYOU, Nicole Miklos, Ice Dragon3, RedTheRetard, A kira, WannabeFireFox, Miranda Crystal-Bearer, Ally Plz, icestar-comet-moon, Marz-1, Sasori-kun, VescaWithoutWings, KittyKatLuver, and greengirl6!**

**Love you all!**

**Jaa ne!**


	18. Threatening Mercy

_Where should I go?  
__What should I do?  
__I don't understand what you want from me,  
__Cause I don't know if I can trust you,  
__All of the things you've said to me_- Spinning Out of Control-Hoobastank

* * *

Jiraiya knew the instant the genjutsu tried to catch him. He caught the probe and tugged it, making it feel like the genjutsu had taken hold of him. It took a while to do that convincingly, and after it was done Jiraiya waited. He didn't recognize the chakra, and it was luck that he was home even tonight to witness whatever the genjutsu caster didn't want him to see. Jiraiya'd almost gone out for a drink at the Scarlet Lady tonight.

Jiraiya heard someone messing around in his living room. He considered all the things he could do. It probably wasn't a simple prankster. The genjutsu had been a Jounin-level technique, and it wasn't a Konoha technique. Jiraiya almost sighed. He had hoped for a good night's rest after he'd decided to stay in tonight, but it wasn't meant to be. Nothing went as planned anymore.

Jiraiya felt back along the genjustsu and, with a nasty technique Tsunade had been fond of, overloaded the caster's chakra network with a spike Jiraiya's of chakra. The genjutsu vanished and Jiraiya hoped the foolish shinobi was somewhere it wouldn't roll off the roof. Jiraiya would like to question it before it died.

Jiraiya, despite his years and size, moved like a cat to the door of his room. He could hear the intruder shuffling around. What was he looking for? Jiraiya had countless scrolls lying around, and he wasn't even sure what they all were. Some were scrolls on elementary techniques that all genin knew, others were nasty things that ate off people's faces when opened, and some were scrolls on civilian folklore.

Jiraiya opened the door slowly and his eyes widened. Well, that wasn't what he'd expected. How to proceed now...

Jiraiya had always been accused of being dramatic, and he'd never denied it. He opened his door the rest of the way and flipped the lights on with no warning or ceremony. The skulker yelped and threw his arms up over his eyes. He froze, which was a wise thing to do when one couldn't see.

Jiraiya cleared his throat. "Well, well, to what do I owe this pleasure, Umino Iruka?"

What skin Jiraiya could see paled. The errant Chuunin risked a squinted glance over his forearms, and his pupils contracted. He wasn't just afraid: he was terrified. There was panic written all over him, and Jiraiya knew he would break and run as soon as he could see. He might even try it before. He couldn't know that his partner was unconscious.

"You might as well tell me why you're here, since you've come so far to visit my scrolls, Umino. It would be rude of me not to inquire what my scrolls' guest wanted." Jiraiya slid closer. If the information he had was correct, the genjutsu caster he'd just knocked out had either been Itachi or Kisame. Jiraiya was betting it was the Uchiha.

Iruka lowered his forearms and looked at Iruka. He knew the Sannin could have killed him by now, or at least immobilized him. He wasn't letting his guard down, but he wasn't ready to bolt at the slightest twitch.

"Don't come any closer," Iruka warned. His voice was tight, as if he was afraid or angry. He was probably afraid. He should be.

"Or what?" Jiraiya stopped and regarded the Chuunin. "I'm serious. I want to know what would prompt you to break into _my_ house, of all places. Surely there's somewhere less dangerous to try...unless you want me to take you straight to the ANBU?"

"No!" Iruka crouched deeper, and his eyes darted to the window. He might have made it in that way, but he'd never make it out. Jiraiya let things in, but he never let them out.

"So, what do you want?" Jiraiya leaned against his couch and waited.

Iruka shifted and Jiraya could almost see the shinobi think. Why had they ever taken that brat off the field? He worked well under pressure. Some shinobi were like that. Put them in a room and their battle plans were mediocre, but throw them into the midst of blood, death, and confusion and they became strategic geniuses. Iruka looked to be one of those.

"A scroll," Iruka began. He continued to describe the scroll, and Jiraiya was impressed. He could count the number of people who knew he had that scroll on one hand. The only one that mattered was Uchiha Itachi.

"That is a very powerful sealing jutsu that requires massive amounts of chakra. You could never hope to use it; so what do you want it for?" Jiraiya asked. Iruka seemed to be relaxing a little. If nothing else Jiraiya should be able to get some answers out of him. Jiraiya desperately wanted answers about everything that surrounded the Chuunin. The 'hows' and 'whys' were beginning to drive him mad.

Why would shinobi so formerly loyal to Konoha and all it did turn traitor? How had he managed to kill an almost legendary shinobi two ranks higher than him? Why was he here? Why was he teamed up with two missing-nin? How did they meet up? Why? How? What for?

Iruka gave Jiraiya a truly surprised look. "Why do you think I want it?"

Jiraiya should have just turned the question around, but he didn't. He wanted to keep Iruka cooperative. "Well, one might think you need it to seal the Kyuubi, but that wouldn't serve you well. Naruto's gone and the Kyuubi's chakra can't be contained by my scroll, no matter how strong it is--"

"Naruto's not gone!" Iruka snapped. He sat crouched on the floor at a Sannin's mercy and had the nerve to _snap_ at Jiraiya like he wanted to take his head off. "Why else would I have left Konoha? They made a mistake, left Naruto to suffer for it, and lied to everyone about it!" _Ah!_ There was one 'why' answered.

Jiraiya flicked a kunai out just in case. "The most popular speculation as to why you left Konoha is because you cracked. You were spending less and less time around anyone but your students, who you refused to engage emotionally, and that always means trouble in a shinobi." Just look at Itachi, Iruka's Genin teammate. He'd withdrawn from human contact, and what most people had taken to be teenage sullenness had turned into a massacre.

"I haven't snapped, not yet," Iruka almost smiled. "Do I look like someone who's gone crazy, Jiraiya?"

In truth he did. There was a haggard look to him. His eyes looked hunted. Jiraiya pretended to appraise Iruka. "You are claiming a Genin could stand up to the Kyuubi for six months and keep hold on his body. Naruto, even if there's a little bit of his consciousness left, has to be in so many pieces you'd never recognize him."

Iruka flashed a grin of triumph at Jiraiya. "He _is_. I recognize him. I talked to him earlier today, in fact, and he was very much himself. Naruto still alive and well, and I'm going to get him back, Jiraiya. I don't care if I have to fight all of Konoha to do it. I will _not_ give up on him."

Iruka wasn't lying. He was either crazier than Jiraiya thought or Naruto really was salvageable. Could that be possible? Jiraiya had left to find Tsunade soon after the Kyuubi had been released, and he'd taken everyone's word when he got back that Naruto was gone. At the moment Kurenai and Asuma should have met up with the Sannin and word should arrive any day as to how far away the lady was. She could set Konoha back on the right track, and if she couldn't Jiraiya was considering razing the place.

But Naruto alive? Was it possible?

Jiraiya scratched his chin. "So you say..."

"Are you going to capture me or not?" Iruka asked. He was quivering now. He didn't dare move, and all his instincts must be screaming at him to run away as fast as he could. Jiraiya almost pitied him. Almost.

Jiraiya had never been one for sticking to plans. They never survived the first engagement and needed constant revision. Jiraiya was about to do some serious revising to all his plans, and he hoped it would pay off. Though, all things considered, Konoha really couldn't be in a worse position. Jiraiya walked across the room and flicked a scroll out from behind a pile of books. It was almost hidden in plain sight, which was Jiraiya's favorite place to put things.

Iruka's eyes widened as he saw the scroll, and Jiraiya expected him to jump up and try to grab it. He didn't. Jiraiya felt like giving the Chuunin a cookie for his good behavior. Though if he tried he suspected Iruka might bight off his hand...

"Here," Jiraiya began. "You can have this scroll on one condition." Iruka's eyes flickered madly between the Sannin and the scroll.

"You have to seal the Kyuubi with it and get Naruto back." Jiraiya watched Iruka's eyes go even wider. Certainly this could count as an act of treachery against Konoha, but Jiraiya always got a little lee-way with these things.

Jiraiya had liked the little brat Naruto. He was a cute kid who was so much like the Yondaime had been it was frightening. He wasn't like the Yondaime everyone else knew, but Naruto was like the Genin Minato Jiraiya had trained. Same loud mouth, irresistible energy, and tendency to speak before thinking. Naruto had a little extra innocence growing up in peace-time, but there were so many similarities...

"If you don't I will hunt you down and hand you over to ANBU as the comrade killer you are," Jiraiya threatened, his voice dropping almost into a growl. "And don't even think you can run from me. I'm a _Sannin_, meaning I can do anything I want, find anyone I want, and kill anyone I want."

Iruka barely flinched. "You've got nothing to worry about, Jiraiya-san. I'll get Naruto back; you can count on it."

Jiraiya looked at Iruka. Could he believe this missing-nin? Did he dare trust him? Could he take that risk? Shinobi lied, cheated, stole, and killed, and Iruka was a shinobi. It was illogical to trust him. It was dangerous. It was stupid.

Jiraiya tossed the scroll to Iruka and threw a kunai towards the windows. There was a clattering as the traps around the window were disarmed. By the time the last bit of wire had fallen loose Iruka and the scroll were gone.

Jiraiya sank down onto his couch and hoped he'd done the right thing.

* * *

Iruka's heart had almost stopped when Jiraiya had thrown the kunai, but after tonight's events Iruka's heart had done so much skipping, pounding, and stopping that Iruka was worried about having a heart attack. He shimmied up onto the roof and found Itachi slumped over in his hiding place. Well, they should have known better than to try genjutsu on a Sannin.

Iruka shoved the scroll into a pocket and zipped his pocket shut. He then reached out to give Itachi a shake, hoping that would wake the Uchiha up. Iruka really didn't want to carry Itachi back to the forest, but if he didn't wake up Iruka would have to. The thought of returning to Kisame without Itachi was terrifying. Iruka would be eaten alive...literally.

Iruka gave Itachi a shake and nothing happened. The Uchiha's head flopped, and he was boneless. Iruka frowned and gathered a little chakra in his hand; it was a trick he'd used to wake up sleeping students. Iruka placed his hand on the bare skin of Itachi's shoulder and gave the Uchiha a shake and a small jolt of chakra.

It worked too well. Itachi came up with a fistful of kunai aimed for Iruka's face. Iruka threw himself back and slipped. He slid down the roof and jammed his feet into the gutter to keep himself from slipping further, his heart pounding hard. Itachi clattered down beside Iruka and peered blearily down at him.

"What're you doing?" Itachi asked in an overly careful voice. Iruka watched as the Uchiha's eyes flickered from grey to red and back again.

"I-I got the scroll," Iruka managed. He dug it out of his pocket and held it up for Itachi to see. "That's it, right?" If it wasn't Iruka was going to either kill Jiraiya or jump off the building.

"Hmm?" Itachi looked at the scroll and dropped his left ear down to his shoulder. "Yeah, that's the one. What happened?"

Iruka almost giggled. "I'll tell you later. Let's get back to the forest."

Unfortunately Itachi wasn't up to roof hopping. Whatever Jiraiya had done to him had thrown his chakra out of whack and made the Uchiha very unsteady in mind and body. Iruka ended up slinging Itachi's arm over his shoulder and half-dragging the staggering Uchiha. Here he finally had Itachi where he would beat him and he didn't dare do anything to hurt him. He needed Itachi to decipher the scroll's contents and remain un-munched by Kisame.

"We're taking a shortcut," Iruka grunted and he shifted Itachi's arm. Itachi pulled his arm away and pushed Iruka away. He walked with only a light sway now, but running would be tricky.

"F'you're sure." Itachi blinked his red eyes at Iruka and waited. Iruka was unnerved to be leading, but he did. He took off at a fast jog, using a tiny amount of chakra. Itachi kept up and the two slowly gained speed. Iruka kept to the back streets as he ran, and soon they were in the abandoned Uchiha compound. No one came here anymore, and no one had dared try to use the compound for anything.

The abandoned buildings were dark, with gaping holes from windows and doors. The building looked sad, almost like they were crying. The echoes of Iruka and Itachi's feet slapped against the silent walls, and Iruka had an urge to pray for forgiveness. He didn't. There was no one here to hear him if he did, and the lonely buildings wouldn't care. They were only buildings, but they still made Iruka shudder and want to run faster. He felt more like an intruder than ever.

Itachi didn't seem to care where they were. He kept half a step behind Iruka. Iruka slowed a little to conserve chakra, which wasn't too low but Iruka didn't want to take any chances after what had happened yesterday. The last thing he needed was to lose it in the middle of Konoha. Luckily the Kyuubi's chakra had been silent all night. Maybe it didn't approve of all this sneaking around.

Iruka put on a burst of speed as soon as they were out of the Uchiha compound and leapt back to the roof tops. He kept his mind on getting across roofs without being seen and keeping up with Itachi. Every once in a while the Uchiha took an awkward step, unheard of for him, and Iruka was afraid Itachi would fall. It was a long three-story drop with bright lights and people at the bottom.

Iruka didn't breath easily until he kicked off Konoha's wall and made a rapid descent to the ground. He didn't feel safe until both he and Itachi were under the darkness of the trees. No one would dare follow them into the forest. They'd just managed to steal something from a Sannin and had escaped to tell the tale. Iruka felt giddy.

* * *

Sasuke was forgotten. No one had time for him now. He was the odd Genin out--the outdated remnant of something gone. He ran a few missions, but all of them were boring and trivial. No one wanted to hand him, a mere Genin, an important mission where he could so easily screw up and die. Sasuke really didn't see why they acted that way. He had eyes and he could see all the Genin that died on mission with a Jounin sensei to watch over them. The death of one more forgotten Genin shouldn't matter.

Sasuke ate his cold supper and stared gloomily outside. He didn't bother with any lights. The darkness suited his mood. He didn't know how he felt, but whatever it was he felt a lot of it. The feeling was building up inside Sasuke steadily, and he was unsure what would happen if it kept growing. He might just snap, which wouldn't be odd. Shinobi were snapping everyday now, and if Sasuke sat in a quiet corner he could hear all the whispered horror stories of what had sent them over the edge.

Sasuke scowled. He could hide in plain sight now while for the past four years of his life he couldn't breathe without someone asking how he was. Chaos and fear reigned in Konoha, and Sasuke could see the mad descent beginning. Maybe he would go mad just like his brother and kill everyone he could.

Sasuke grinned bitterly. He wouldn't be able to kill many. He was years behind his brother in skill, and he knew that. He also knew he'd never be able to make it. He'd had a hope while Kakashi was still alive, but now that the man was dead there was no chance. There was no one else in Konoha Sasuke could even start considering a friend. Still...

Sasuke still harbored dreams of killing his brother one day. He had dark daydreams about getting revenge for his clan's murder. Itachi always begged for mercy at the end of those daydreams, but Sasuke rarely granted it. He knew Itachi would kill him if he showed any mercy.

That was the shinobi way. You manipulated your opponent and lied to reach your objective. You didn't play around with morals or rights and wrongs. You did what you were told for the greater good of Konoha and were proud of it. You upheld you village and watched it grow strong while you fought, bled, and died in the shadows.

Sasuke almost dropped his bowl. The darkness made it hard to see, but Sasuke had excellent night vision. His breath caught and his body trembled. Running across the empty streets were two people, but Sasuke only saw one. He clenched his hands so hard on his bowl it cracked. His mouth went dry, and the Sharingan activated on its own.

"Itachi," Sasuke hissed. The two were rapidly disappearing down the streets. Sasuke dropped his bowl and threw the window open. He vaulted down onto the street and took off at a run. He could see Itachi. He would catch Itachi. He would make Itachi beg, and then he would kill him.

Sasuke's bare feet hit the wall of Konoha and he launched down it without a thought in his mind but vengeance.

* * *

**A/N:Ya'll knew Jiraiya wouldn't hurt Iruka! Bet you all thought I'd forgotten about Sasuke, didn't you? Nope he's still here!**

**I'm really sorry, but I'm going to take a one week break from updates. There's only a few more chapters left in BD, and I want to focus more on the story on a whole than just getting chapters done. This chapter and the one before felt rushed and shallow to me, and I don't like that. The decrease of reviews also made me wonder if something was going wrong(don't just stop reviewing! Tell me what's going and I'll try to fix it.)**

**So many things are going to happen in the next few chapters I want it to be the best it can posisbly be. Therefore I'm taking a week to get my ducks in order and bring you the best writing I can!**

**Thanks to the reviewers:sasori-kun, A kira, Miranda Crystal-Bearer, Mare, Ally Plz, Ghostboy814, Ice Dragon3, sugoi-chan, KittyKatLuver, Heihachi-Katayama, RedTheRetard, NicoleMiklos, WannabeFireFox, greengirl6, VescaWithoutWings, and icestar-comet-moon!**

**Happy Fourth of July all you American readers! Go blow something up!**

**See you the 18th!**


	19. Red Brothers

_What you thought was real in life somehow steered you wrong,  
__Now you just keep drivin' tryin' to find out where you belong,  
__I know you feel helpless now and I know you feel alone,  
__That's the same road, that same road that I am on.-_Road I'm On-3 Doors Down

* * *

"I'd be jealous, but it doesn't look like you two got into any fights. If you did, you certainly didn't win," Kisame said as soon as Itachi and Iruka had found him again. Iruka didn't bother even pretending to look disgusted. He flopped unceremoniously onto the ground and winced as he landed on the scroll in his pocket.

"You owe me an explanation," Itachi said, though he sounded as tired as Iruka felt. He was still recovering from whatever Jiraiya had done to him, but he was well enough now to interrogate Iruka. Or at least pretend to.

"Igha," Iruka mumbled as he turned his head towards Itachi. "You almost got me killed, and your genjutsu did nothing whatsoever to help me."

"You got the scroll, didn't you?" Itachi almost snapped back. He was as close to mad as Iruka had ever seen him since they'd been Genin.

Iruka was amazingly comfortable lying on the ground being poked with sticks and dead leaves. He felt he could almost fall asleep right now. "Your genjutsu didn't work, and so Jiraiya blinded me, gave me the scroll on the condition I used it to seal the Kyuubi's chakra and get Naruto back on pain of being given to ANBU with love."

"Huh, you were right," Kisame raised his eyebrows and grinned at Itachi. "Once again your genius surpasses mine."

Itachi gave Kisame an almost-pleased smirk and absently rubbed at his eyes. "You ever doubted me?"

"Wait..." Iruka was getting the sinking suspicion once again he'd been manipulated and used by his missing-nin companions. "You _meant_ for the genjutsu to fail?"

"No," Itachi replied. "The best case scenario was Jiraiya wouldn't be home, and the next best was the genjutsu would work. Failing both those options, there was a slight possibility Jiraiya would simply give you the scroll after you told him what you wanted it for."

"You were counting on Jiraiya just _giving_ me the scroll?" Iruka pushed himself up. "Why didn't we just knock on the front door and _ask_ him then?"

Itachi gave Iruka a disgusted look. "No, that was the last resort. Jiraiya's insatiably curious and there's no doubt if he caught you he'd want to know what you were up to, and there's no doubt you'd tell him. Jiraiya's going soft in his old age and likes to believe in happy endings so he'd give you the scroll."

Itachi's tone said what he thought of 'happy endings' and of believing in such things. Then again what would be a happy ending for Itachi would probably be a tragedy for anyone else. This was the shinobi who'd killed his clan at thirteen and left his younger brother with a burning desire for revenge.

"I guess your genius surpasses mine too," Iruka grumbled. He hated being manipulated and told half-truths. It made him feel stupid and mad. Mad wasn't a good thing to be with the Kyuubi's chakra waiting for a chance to leap up again. Iruka rubbed his stomach and imagined he could feel the burn of the fiery chakra against his skin.

Iruka cat-napped while Itachi devoured and dissected the scroll. Sleeping sitting up against a tree wasn't comfortable, but exhaustion had left Iruka no other choice. Iruka strongly suspected Itachi was popping soldier pills, but Iruka had never been fond of them. The crash was something he did not need right now.

By the time Iruka had gotten enough rest to begin functioning again the Uchiha was drawing complicated diagrams on the ground. He was, evidently, fully recovered from whatever Jiraiya had done to him. Iruka didn't know if he was relieved or disappointed. He settled for a neutral middle and pulled himself to his feet.

Itachi had scrubbed off the make-up and was back to his normal pale self. He was also back in his normal black and Iruka felt the universe had righted itself...well almost. There was still the fact Iruka had tried to steal a dangerous scroll from a Sannin, been caught, and lived to wonder at his stupidity.

Kisame was gnawing on some dried meat while watching Itachi muse over the scroll. Iruka settled himself on the ground across from Kisame and looked down at the diagram Itachi was working on. It had more lines, symbols, and squiggles than Iruka had ever seen on an array before. He kept his mouth shut and waited for Itachi to tell him how he would make such an array out here in the middle of a forest? Where would they get the ink? Would ink even work out here?

"Don't even try to figure this out. Your head will explode," Itachi commented as he looked up. "Just do like Kisame is and wait."

"I was," Iruka protested.

"No, you had a pained expression on your face that usually indicates thought-processing with you," Itachi said blandly. Iruka didn't know if he was offended or immensely amused. He decided he was amused. Itachi was best taken that way...or that had been how it was when they were Genin.

Kisame chuckled and Iruka settled down to watch Itachi add yet more lines to his array. There were five circles of varying sizes, six pentagrams, and all the other spaces seemed to be filled with random squiggles and symbols. All this was just the array, and who knew what hand signs would be needed. Iruka had a sinking feeling. Would this scroll even he able to help them?

"So, ink?" Kisame asked as Itachi put the finishing touches on the array.

"It would never work out here, and I don't have that much anyway." Itachi's gaze unfocused and he looked at the array.

Iruka looked at the array. What else could they use? Ink used in shinobi scrolls was mixed with blood to help conduct chakra through it. What else was a good conductor of chakra? Human bodies were, but mass slaughter was out of the question, and that was what this array would take if they used body parts. Trees attracted and held chakra, so they wouldn't do...

"Water," Iruka said without thinking. Kisame and Itachi stared at him. Iruka grinned back nervously. "Erm, water conducts chakra?"

"How will that help us?" Itachi asked, but he sounded more curious than annoyed now.

"Putting it in trenches would work as long as you did it quickly, I think," Kisame volunteered. He was grinning. Iruka had thought Kisame left all the planning to Itachi, but evidently the fish-man could plan on his own.

Itachi looked sat back and gave Kisame a steady look. "They would have to be very precise trenches."

Kisame grinned. "And who knows a whole boat-load of earth jutsu? Hmm?"

Itachi did something very unprecedented for him. He smiled. "And for the unattached symbols? Are you just going to walk around and pour water into them?"

"We connect the symbols with smaller, shallower trenches, and, anyway, who knows five whole boat-loads of water jutsu?" Kisame was enjoying himself immensely. Iruka's heart soared. They could do this. How long would it take? Days or weeks? Longer? It didn't matter. Soon Iruka would have Naruto back.

"Find me a clearing that's big enough, then, and we'll get started," Itachi rolled up the scroll and tucked it away. He looked almost smug.

"Are you sure it will work--I mean will the jutsu be enough to seal the Kyuubi back?" Iruka asked.

"We'll see," Itachi replied. "We'll test it before we drag the Kyuubi into the middle of it, though. I'd rather not half-seal it and then have it eat me." Was Itachi trying to joke? How badly had Jiraiya messed up the Uchiha genius with his attack?

Iruka suddenly frowned. "Wait, what are we going to test it on?"

Itachi's expression dropped back to its normal bland state. "The only person here with demonic chakra inside him. The chakra in you is less than what's in the Kyuubi's vessel and, therefore, will be easier to seal." Itachi kept looking at Iruka, waiting for Iruka to ask another question so he could answer it with the proper disdain stupid questions should be shown.

Iruka had long ago learned no honest question was stupid; though they were sometimes horribly ill-timed.

"Well thanks for thinking of me." Iruka could feel the chakra burning in his stomach. "Any other experiments you're planning to subject me to?"

"Kisame wants to see what you liver tastes like, but I think that will have to wait," Itachi said and gave Iruka a look. Iruka's heart lurched and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. If he'd ever had delusions of getting mercy from Itachi that had shattered it. The Uchiha was out for himself and no one else.

"Now, in four, three, two--" Kisame scooted closer to Itachi. "And one."

Itachi blinked and went dramatically limp; Kisame grabbed him. Kisame grinned toothily at Iruka. "Soldier pill crash. You just gotta love 'em."

"Let go. I can sit up by myself." Itachi pushed Kisame away and braced himself up on his hands. Iruka knew the signs of chakra exhaustion, and Itachi had them. His chakra had already been unstable from Jiraiya's attack, so why had he used soldier pills?

_Because he didn't have a plan._ Iruka realized. Itachi was didn't like going anywhere blind, and he was not going to rest until he knew which direction to go. Why should he worry about chakra exhaustion? Kisame would protect him from Iruka, and both of them would keep anything else from harming the Uchiha. They needed him.

"Now, I'm going to rest and you two can look fo--" Itachi froze and his eyes widened. Kisame suddenly had a handful of kunai. Iruka rolled himself around. He was still tired, but if someone had followed them back from Konoha he'd have to fight. He flipped kunai into his hand and gaped.

"Sasuke!" Iruka yelped and Itachi almost-whispered at the same time. The boy stood in front of them, eyes wide and red. His chest heaved and his feet were bare and dirty. Iruka almost relaxed, and then he saw the madness in the boy's face.

"Itachi!" Sasuke shouted, his voice cracked and filled to the brim with _rage._ Kunai flickered into his hand and he jumped forward, charging in for the kill. Kisame moved in front of Itachi, who was staring and unmoving--frozen, it looked like. Iruka jumped forward. Sasuke had always been bad about letting people catch him from behind, from the left--

Sasuke was too focused on Itachi. He missed Iruka moving, and only noticed him when Iruka caught the boy, pinning his arms and stopping his charge in mid-step. Sasuke lunged against Iruka's hold, using chakra to give his lunge more power and his bare feet more leverage. Iruka didn't even move, and he could feel Sasuke's joints strain. If the boy pulled too hard he'd hurt himself.

"Let me go!" Sasuke screamed. "Let me kill him!" His voice was ragged, dangerous, and he jerked again against Iruka's hold.

"You think _you_ can kill him, kiddo?" Kisame asked with unconcealed amusement. He was off-guard now and grinning. Itachi was still sitting on the ground, staring at Sasuke. His eyes were fluttering between red and grey.

"Let me kill him!" Sasuke demanded. "He's killed everyone! He kill _Kaa-san _and _Tou-san _and Shisui-nii-chan and Juubaki-oba-san and Tado-oji-san and everyone else!" Sasuke wrenched his arms so hard Iruka heard one give an alarming pop. "He-he even killed Kakashi-sensei!"

"I didn't do that," Itachi said as he slowly flowed to his feet. He was unsteady, but his pose spoke of menace. Itachi didn't need chakra to kill his younger brother. Iruka had to get Sasuke away before Itachi decided to finish his killing of the Uchiha clan right here and now.

"Then why is he dead?!" Sasuke's voice rose and broke. "You wanted me to catch up to you so why did you kill him? Now I _CAN'T_! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO PASS YOU _NOW_?!"

"_I didn't kill Kakashi_," Itachi snapped, eyes cold and red. Who knew fire could freeze? Sasuke jerked back from the look, body trembling all over with fear, anticipation, and anger.

"Who did?" Sasuke asked, voice small, strained.

Itachi had the nerve to let a wicked little smirk ghost over his face. "Iruka did." Sasuke tensed, jerked, and Iruka let him go, ready to grab him again and get them both away from Itachi. Iruka didn't think he could bargain Sasuke out of his death if Itachi wanted it.

"You?" Sasuke looked at him, eyes wide, red, and spinning. "You couldn't _kill_ Kakashi-sensei. You-you're just a Chuunin. He was a Jounin. He was the Copy-nin. You couldn't kill him." Sasuke whipped around, kunai in hand. "Don't lie to me. I'm not a stupid kid," he spat.

Iruka saw the boy was ready to jump at Itachi again. That would be suicide, pure and simple. Iruka grabbed Sasuke by the back of his shirt. "Sasuke, I killed Kakashi."

He didn't add he'd had no choice. He didn't try to lessen the blame. He was beginning to see he'd taken something away from Sasuke when he'd killed Kakashi. He'd taken away the boy's teacher and trainer. He'd shredded the boy's chances of ever mastering the sharingan. Every time someone died something was lost, but Iruka had never had to face what was lost when he killed people. Now he did.

Sasuke looked at Iruka again. His eyes were grey. He was shocked, maybe suddenly scared. The fight had suddenly gone out of him. Iruka felt his heart clench and he almost reached out to touch Sasuke. He almost tried to comfort him, but he knew he couldn't. He'd just made himself the enemy in Sasuke's eyes. Iruka had killed Kakashi, and that was something Sasuke couldn't forgive.

Sasuke's face suddenly twisted into a rictus of fury and he whipped around. He made three running steps toward Itachi, and then Iruka caught him again. Kisame's shuriken and kunai stung Iruka as they nipped his flesh, but an instant later he and Sasuke were as far away as a translocation jutsu could get them.

Sasuke screamed and fought. Iruka pinned him down to the deadfall-covered ground and closed his eyes while he listened to the torrent of hate and desperation die out. Sasuke quivered under him, and Iruka hesitantly got off him. The boy didn't move.

"Sasuke," Iruka began slowly. "I am sorry about Kakashi. I-I didn't think about what it would do to you."

Sasuke pulled himself up and looked out into the forest. "You can't even begin to understand what Kakashi's death means to me." There were dirty tear-streaks on his face, and Iruka wondered if the boy had gone mad. It wouldn't be surprising, considering what he'd been through in his short life. Kakashi's death could have been the last straw.

"You know you can't kill Itachi, ne? He's eighteen to your twelve," Iruka prompted. Not to mention Sasuke was good, but no genius like Itachi. He didn't need to hear that right now.

Sasuke snapped his head around to give Iruka a look that was pure venom. "I _know_ that. I'm not some stupid kid. Maybe I didn't want to kill him. Maybe I _wanted him to kill __**me**_." Sasuke spat. "It's the only way now. I _can't_ surpass him now. There's no one else who I can..." Sasuke trailed off, eyes going distant.

He had cracked. Maybe he wasn't mad yet but Sasuke was cracking. Maybe he'd been cracked for years and Iruka just hadn't looked past the fact he was the "last" Uchiha to see it. Maybe everyone had overlooked the fact that no child should ever be that emotionally deadpan all the time. Maybe Uchiha Sasuke had always been cracked, and now he was going to fly to pieces any second.

Dread settled into Iruka's stomach. "Sasuke, look at me." He dropped the tone of command only a good teacher had into his voice. Sasuke looked at him, eyes too-wide. "You can't kill Itachi on your own, but what did you see tonight? Itachi doesn't work alone. Go back to Konoha and grow up. Find yourself a good team and then go after your brother if you still want to."

Iruka needed to get the kid back to Konoha. Someone would help him there. Maybe there was still someone who cared enough to look after one breaking Genin...

The other Genin, of course. Iruka almost smiled. They'd take care of him. They'd watch out for their former class-mate. They would. They were good shinobi like that, and Iruka had thought them you took care of your own. You never let a Konoha shinobi rot when you could save them. If he could just get Sasuke back into Konoha before Itachi decided it was time to start a massacre again...

"I don't need a team. They'll hold me back," Sasuke retorted, but it sounded hollow. His eyes were still too-wide. Too much white showed around the iris.

"You need a team. Everyone needs a team. Go back to Konoha and find the other Genin who graduated with you. Run patrol with them, and they'll be your team, all right?" Iruka looked back behind Sasuke for Kisame or Itachi. If either of them came Sasuke would probably die.

"Why should I listen to you? You-you're a missing-nin. You're a traitor, a comrade killer." Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Like Itachi."

Iruka threw his head back and laughed. "Me? Me like Itachi? No, no, I'll never, no matter how hard I try, be like Itachi, Sasuke. I'm doing this because I was your teacher, and I don't want to see a good shinobi crash and burn before he even starts to fly."

Iruka put his hands on Sasuke's shoulders and felt the boy tense. Sasuke looked up, and Iruka almost flinched. He wondered how he'd missed it. He wondered why he'd never noticed before.

Sasuke wasn't cracked or breaking.

He was broken_._

* * *

**A/N:I'm back! Did'ja miss me? I missed ya'll, but the break was good! I'm three chapters ahead(meaning I'm writing chapter 21 while you just read 18). It's now a down hill rush to the end my friends! Aren't you excited?**

**FOR THOSE CONFUSED ABOUT WHEN THIS TAKES PLACE! The Kyuubi was released right after the attack on Konoha by Sound, got it? From there it is majorly AU, and almost nothing canonical happens. Tsunade hasn't made it to Konoha yet, and she may just runaway screaming when she sees what it's become.**

**Look it's Sasuke. I love Sasuke, can you tell? Behold the warped little brat.**

**WOW! Almost three-hundred reviews! O.O You guys are awesome. **

**Thanks to the reviewers:VampireArgonian92, Gogolu, Kei the Incandadine Goddess, micah.n10, KeiGinya, Marz1, wolvknight, lilz, dragroar, Miranda Crystal-Bearer. RedTheRetard, Mare, WannabeFireFox, Ally Plz, Nicole Miklos, icestar-comet-moon, A kira, Exalted, Ice Dragon3, Sasori-kun, and VescaWithoutWings!**

**Welcome all you new reviewers!**

**See you next week!**


	20. Self Destruct

_And in the wake of his mistake,  
__So many lives are broken,  
__Gone forever from a loaded bullet,  
__And no excuse that you could use,  
__Could pull somebody through it,  
__And to this day so many say,  
_"_God why'd you let him do it?"-_Side of a Bullet-Nickelback

* * *

Sasuke's feet hurt. They were cold, and he was sure they were bleeding. He felt drained. Jumping out the window and chasing after his killer brother had been a stupid idea. Why had he done it? He wasn't supposed to make such stupid mistakes. He was supposed to be above making childish mistakes like that.

But he made them. Time and time again Sasuke did things he couldn't explain, and ever since Kakashi's death it had happened a lot. He'd do things and wonder why. The reasons he'd had originally eluded him, if there'd ever been any reasons to begin with.

Sasuke winced as he stepped on a sharp stick. Iruka had wanted to walk Sasuke back to Konoha, but Sasuke had refused. He didn't need Iruka to walk him home like a toddler who'd gotten lost at a festival. The night was humiliating enough without that. If Iruka had stayed out of it Sasuke would be dead now and not living down this shame. He'd failed again to kill his brother. He'd now lived through another of their meetings when only one of them should have walked away.

Sasuke almost stumbled. He glared at the ground. _Stupid deadfall. _His hands itched to flip through the signs that would turn the whole forest into a bonfire. Maybe then Itachi would die--burned alive in his own schemes and plots.

But that was a stupid thing to do while he was in the forest, and there was no guarantee that Itachi would die. In any case Sasuke wanted to _see_ Itachi die. He wanted to hear his brother's last breath. If Itachi was going to burn to death Sasuke wanted to smell his brother's burning flesh, even though the smell always turned Sasuke's stomach. He would manage his nausea to watch Itachi burn.

Sasuke winced and touched his shoulder. He'd forgotten how strong Iruka was. After four years of learning under him Sasuke had seen numerous displays of the man's strength, but he'd forgotten. He'd never thought to file Iruka's strength away as something significant. The man was a teacher, and he would never be anything else. Who'd known he'd ever turn away from Konoha and become a comrade killer?

_'Some missing-nin are forgotten. Some of them drop out of sight and are left alone if they don't cause problems. The ones that can never do this are the comrade killers. No matter how they're ranked these missing-nin will never be allowed to live in peace. Comrade killers are the worst of the worst. There's nothing more despicable than killing a comrade for your own gain.'_

Sasuke remembered Iruka's vehement speech, and he'd paid special attention because of Itachi. He agreed with every word Iruka had said, and he'd thought Iruka believed it too. What had caused the man to change his philosophy? He certainly didn't have an easy alliance with Itachi and Itachi's partner, given how jumpy he'd been and that Itachi's partner had attacked him.

Had Iruka really cracked? The man hadn't seemed cracked, and what would have made him crack? Iruka was the only teacher in the Academy who hadn't lived off coffee during the exam week. He'd calmly dealt with the great crisis of wasps nests under six student's desk without swearing, sweating, or yelling. Stress didn't bother Iruka as it did other people, so what would get under his skin enough to break him?

Naruto and the Kyuubi, of course. Iruka had always been given the idiot extra help. He didn't go easy on him by any means, but anyone could tell Naruto was his favorite student. No one had envied Naruto. Being Iruka's favorite meant Naruto was the most closely watched, and he never got away with anything. Why would Iruka leave Konoha, though? Why would he fight against Konoha and live in the forest with the killer Kyuubi and two missing-nin?

Unless Naruto wasn't as gone as everyone said he was.

Sasuke felt an electric thrill run through him. He wanted to run back and demand Iruka tell him if that was true. He stopped and his feet took two steps back before he got control of himself. He wasn't even sure where Iruka was anymore. The early dawn light only gave the deep forest an eerie glow that made shadows dance and take shape into hideous monsters.

This changed everything. Sasuke's heart hammered in his chest and a sweat broke out all over him. He swallowed and felt his stomach twist. Could it be true? Could he actually...?

Sasuke suddenly felt panic and fear. His body tensed and quivered. He felt chakra roll into him like a physical sensation. He smelled something terrible. His eyes watered and he retched. Fear grabbed him and shouted for him to _RUN_, but his limbs were frozen. It was all he could do to turn around and see what was making such terrible chakra.

Sasuke knew he would have turned and run if the chakra hadn't been holding him in place. Standing half-hidden behind a tree was a hideous creature. It might have once been human, but now it wasn't. Its limbs were too long, and its ears came to a furred point. Its face was somehow wrong, and behind it nine tails lashed and danced. Sasuke's mouth went dry and his nose started running as the smell grew stronger.

Red eyes widened, and Sasuke imagined they changed to a softer red that was almost purple. "Sasuke?" the creature asked, stance almost hesitant. There was no way a creature whose chakra was _visible_ could be hesitant about anything, much less Sasuke in his bedraggled state. Sasuke flinched back at the sound of his name and managed to take a step away. His eyes widened and the sharingan activated on its own.

"Sasuke, I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean to kill Sakura. I didn't, and I'm sorry. I-I..." The creature was crying. Tears ran down its face and Sasuke was repulsed. How could something so strong cry? What could it have to be sad about?

Sasuke caught the tear-blurred eyes and saw something. The wide eyes' color shook something in him. The way the lips trembled and the brows drew together made him think. The hesitance and gentle quiver that didn't belong to a creature of such terror struck something deep in Sasuke and sent a vibration through him. Could it actually be...was there really any chance it was...

"N-naruto?" Sasuke asked, his voice quivering madly with fear and excitement. The _tomoe_ in his eyes began to spin.

The creature stopped its babbling apologies and looked up. A fanged and very hesitant smile spread over its face. "Yeah, yeah, it's me."

Sasuke's heart thumped extra hard. He looked over the creature, and he could see how it might be his dead weight teammate. He could also see how it could be the demon's trick. He didn't care.

Sasuke stepped forward. The weight of the chakra had lessened now, and he could move. His stomach was in knots, but he could move. That was all that mattered. He could move. He would move.

"Naruto," Sasuke suddenly gripped two fistfuls of metal. "Fight me."

"What?" Naruto's eyes widened and he stepped back. His pupils dilated and then contracted into slits. He looked from Sasuke's face to the weapons in his hands. "Sasuke, no, don't-I can't--"

"Fight me!" Sasuke yelled. He threw one handful of kunai at Naruto. Naruto deflected them with a swing of his arm, and Sasuke saw red.

* * *

Iruka landed neatly on the ground next to Kisame and Itachi. He'd sent a clone after Sasuke. It was a weak clone that was transparent, but Iruka could get a vague idea of what Sasuke was doing through his link to the clone. The broken boy was heading for Konoha. There was no other place for him, and Konoha might not even be the place for him. Iruka almost wished he had gone with him and hand-delivered him to the Genin patrol.

He couldn't do that. He'd already compromised the Genin by talking to them once, and if they were seen talking to him bad things would happen. Sasuke, having been given over by a known missing-nin, would be held and questioned, and that was the last thing the boy needed. Iruka wasn't really sure what Sasuke really needed, but he hoped he was doing the right thing. At least the other Genin would take care of him and watch out for him.

"So, did you eat him?" Kisame asked with a sharky grin.

"No!" Iruka yelped in surprise and disgust.

"Good, because if you had eaten him and not saved me any than I would have been very upset with you, Oikawa-chan," Kisame replied.

Itachi, who looked like he was asleep, snorted. "Kisame, lay a hand on that boy, and you'll pull back a smoldering stump."

Kisame's grin was suddenly twice as feral, and Iruka felt the red chakra stir. "I'll leave your little pawns alone, Itachi. Just tell me when I need to kill them, and we'll be fine."

"So I got cut up by your kunai for nothing, Same-san?" Iruka asked. "They weren't poisoned, were they?"

"Me use poison?" Kisame laughed. "If you poison things they can't squirm in torment, Oikawa-chan, and you should look to yourself for your self-destructive tendencies. You're the one who keeps getting yourself hurt."

"I'll be certain to do some serious soul-searching and find the source of those tendencies." Iruka almost fell to the ground and yawned. "May we now sleep all day? Itachi's chakra's decimated, and I think my muscles have turned to mush."

"Not all day. This afternoon we're going to look for a place to do the sealing. The sooner we get this done the better. Jiraiya might decide his loan was ill-given and he wants his scroll back at any time, or ANBU could be dispatched to get rid of the pests in their woods." Itachi still had his eyes closed and he looked utterly limp. Iruka had the urge to poke him and see if he jumped.

Kisame snorted. "ANBU's not likely. They're tired of being chew-toys for the Kyuubi, and we make a remarkable deterrent as well. I'd like to meet up with some ANBU though. They make very satisfying gurgles when you rip their throats out."

Iruka blanched. As if he needed another reminder he was allied with two blood-thirsty missing-nin whose idea of a good time was mass slaughter...

Iruka winced and wiped blood off his face. All the cuts he'd gotten from Kisame were small, and, though they burned, they didn't need bandaging. Iruka's hand brushed against the scar on his cheek and he almost smiled. This was it. They were starting the sprint towards whatever it turned out to be. Iruka felt a shiver run through him.

His stomach suddenly lurched. He felt a phantom touch of chakra against his skin and a bitter taste in his mouth. He almost looked around for the Kyuubi, and then he remembered his clone. He groped after his hold on it and struggled to get anything but faint suggestions from it. It was made of far too little chakra to supply exact information. Iruka heard Sasuke's voice, harsh and bold, and then his clone was wiped out. Iruka shook with the feeling of the Kyuubi's chakra, and the chakra in his stomach tried to surge to life.

Why had he heard Sasuke and then felt the Kyuubi's chakra? What had the boy said? Iruka struggled with the clone's memory as he gathered himself up. He had the sounds but what words did they make--

_'Fight me!'_

"No! Sasuke, no!" Iruka shouted as he surged to his feet. The boy couldn't hear him. Sasuke didn't know...

Iruka forced chakra into his legs and leapt up the nearest tree. He might already be too late. Why hadn't he just run to see what was going on when his clone had disappeared? Why hadn't he just known something was wrong then? Why had he waited!

The red chakra in his stomach surged and disrupted his control. His feet slipped on the bark and he almost fell. He didn't have enough chakra to be doing this. He didn't have the strength, but he had to keep doing it. He had to get there.

Kisame and Itachi were right behind him. Why, Iruka didn't know, but he didn't really care. If Sasuke was fighting with the Kyuubi Iruka would need all the help he could get. If only it wasn't too late. Iruka knew what the Kyuubi could do. Iruka had seen the Kyuubi trash Jounin-level shinobi, and Sasuke was nowhere near that level. Maybe Naruto could hold the Kyuubi back enough to give his former teammate more time.

Maybe, maybe, maybe Iruka could save the broken boy before he got himself killed.

Iruka only knew where he was going because he knew where his clone had last been. His legs burned and ached. His lungs were on fire. He was pushing himself hard, and he was going to collapse like Itachi had. He was amazed Itachi was even able to move, much less tree-jump and keep up with them. He was lagging a bit, but he was keeping up. Iruka stumbled again and nearly fell to the forest floor. If he didn't pay attention he'd end up dead.

Kisame passed Iruka and hit the ground hard. Iruka skittered down behind him, slipping on a ground devoid of deadfall. Ash covered the ground instead and filled Iruka's nose with an acrid stench that sent his mind tumbling back almost thirteen years to the original Kyuubi attack. His body tensed, and his mouth was dry. The Kyuubi stood with its back to them, tails lashing and radiating chakra. Iruka shuddered.

"N-Na-Naruto--"

Iruka stopped and he almost screamed. There, sprawled in front of the Kyuubi, was Sasuke. One arm was gone past the elbow, and one leg was gruesomely twisted. Iruka could just see Sasuke's face from where he stood. His eyes were thrown wide, mouth open a bit. He looked mildly surprised. He hardly looked like he'd just been killed by a demon who struck terror into people who just heard his name.

Iruka swallowed and shook. The Kyuubi turned and bared its teeth at Iruka. Tears streamed down its face, and Iruka could almost see the red and purple fluctuating in the iris. Iruka's knees tried to give way, and he gagged as the Kyuubi's scent and chakra rolled over him. The chakra in his stomach rumbled in response and tried to reach out. Iruka pressed it down and tried to force his body to obey him.

"Sasuke!" Itachi's voice was sharp and held something Iruka didn't understand. It wasn't sorrow. It wasn't anger. It wasn't anything Iruka could name.

The Kyuubi jerked. Iruka saw a flash of blue, he knew he did. The Kyuubi snarled and stepped back. It looked between Sasuke and Iruka, visibly shaking. It stepped back again. Its gaze caught Iruka, and Iruka knew he saw blue somewhere in those blood red eyes. The Kyuubi whirled and ran.

Iruka didn't think. Iruka didn't have chakra left for tree running. He took off, feet threatening to slip as he went from the ash to the dead leaves. He didn't pause. He ran, mind fixed on the panicked look in the Kyuubi-Naruto's face and the tears. The Kyuubi wouldn't cry. The Kyuubi wouldn't ever have that look of desperation on his face. Iruka ran, throat burning and the pain in his legs past description. He didn't slow down, and he didn't dare. If he did he might not start moving again.

Iruka hoped he was going the right way.

Something suddenly slammed into him, sending him sliding back through the leaves. Iruka almost brought his legs up instinctively to kick, but he paused as he saw what he thought was blue. Burning hands locked on his arms and teeth sank into the uppermost arm, which he had jerked up to protect his neck and face. Iruka screamed. His arm felt like it burst into flame. The bones in his arms creaked from the strength of the hold on them. He could feel claws digging into them, ripping through his flesh and pricking his bones. Knees dug into his thighs. Pain, terror, and panic ripped at his mind.

Hot wet drips hit his face, searing trails down his cheeks and neck. He pried his eyes open and opened his mouth several times before he managed to get anything out. "Naruto," he almost whimpered. All he could see was red and orange. All he could feel was fire. Was he dying? Would the Kyuubi kill him like it had killed his parents? Had he been a fool all along to think he could save anything from such a greedy powerful monster?

Teeth detached from his arm and tears hot enough to burn hit his cheeks. Iruka looked up and found Kyuubi-Naruto's face inches from his, eyes wide and panicked. Iruka felt a thrill of panic go through him too. He'd come very close to dying, and he wasn't safe yet. He could be killed any second now. He could already he dead. He felt like his entire body was on fire. His arms were in agony, and he was beginning to think a bone in one was at least cracked.

"I killed him," Naruto whispered. He looked at Iruka. "I-I tried to stop, but he wouldn't listen. N-neither of them would. I-I didn't want to. I didn't want to kill Sasuke. I-I-why, why did he...why didn't he _stop_? I couldn't...I couldn't make him--"

"Naruto, shhh, it's okay," Iruka began, his body trembling from exhaustion and the effects of the Kyuubi's chakra, which still wreathed Naruto like a perverse fog.

"No, no it's _not_," Naruto's voice cracked and he dropped his head so the tips of his hair brushed Iruka's neck. "I-I killed them all. I killed my teammates, 'Ruka-sensei. I-I killed them. I couldn't stop _him_ from..."

Iruka forced himself up and made his aching arms circle Naruto. He ignored the burning, the smell, and the screams of his body to run away now. Words stuck in his throat. It was all he could do to hold Naruto. His body shook, and he felt sick. Hot tears slid down his neck and for once the Kyuubi's tails lay flat and motionless. Iruka felt blood trickle down his arms, and he knew Itachi was right.

Naruto was losing himself to the Kyuubi, and there was no telling how long he had. Days ago he'd gotten the Kyuubi to save Iruka, and now he couldn't keep the Kyuubi from attacking him. How long did they have? Was it already too late?

Iruka wrapped his arms tighter around Naruto, as if that could keep his little dandelion boy from disappearing forever.

* * *

Iruka found Kisame by luck and a badly-placed root. He fell and landed at the fish-man's feet, wearied beyond all description. It was a struggle even to keep his eyes open. Iruka had never felt so exhausted in his life, or if he had he'd blocked it from his memory. He wished he could do that now.

"Abject worship is nice, but unnecessary, Oikawa-chan." Kisame nudged Iruka with his foot. "Are you dead? 'Cause that would be very melodramatic."

"I _think_ I'm still alive," Iruka groaned. He closed his eyes and didn't bother to open them. Kisame could eat his liver for all he cared, but Iruka needed to rest. His chakra was absurdly low, and he knew he couldn't keep the Kyuubi's chakra under control if it acted up. "Where's 'Tachi?"

"He took the kid's body to the edge of the woods." Kisame flipped Iruka over with his foot "Your arms are fried."

"I hadn't noticed," Iruka replied. He was also burning on his face.

"Sit up and let me bandage them. The last thing we need is you getting infected right now," Kisame said. Iruka made a noise that would have been a curse if he had enough energy. He pulled himself upright and gingerly leaned against a tree. The smooth bark hurt his skin.

Kisame began cheerfully bandaging Iruka's fore-arms, one of which was bitten and both of which had claw marks in it. The flesh around the bite mark was charred, and Iruka could see bone. Kisame used some sort of jutsu and some sort of ointment on the wounds, and Iruka let himself be manhandled. He felt useless, and he couldn't get Naruto's parting words out of his head.

_'I forgot. I kept telling _him _not to kill you and I couldn't remember the reason why. I couldn't remember why I wasn't supposed to kill you. Every breath it's harder and harder to remember you, Iruka-sensei. It's harder to remember me, and-and I'm afraid I'm going to forget who I am every time I breathe.'_

How many days did he have left? How many times would Naruto breathe in a day? How many times would forget, even if only for a moment, who he really was? Iruka got the feeling the numbers were all ones he wouldn't like.

* * *

**A/N:Uh, yeah...surprise?**

**Erm, there's a nother link to some Burning Deadfall art in my profile(both chibis drawn by me), and if you haven't gone and looked at Ymris/Miranda Crystal-Bearer's pic of BD Iruka, then you really should.**

**Thanks to the reviewers:Ice Dragon3, micah.n10, KeiGinya, CWolf2, Mare, Blue the Bloody Baron, Miranda Crystal-Bearer, AllyPlz, Marz1, A kira, WannabeFireFox, BlackDove-alchemist, Kei the Incarnadine Goddess, RedTheRetard, sasori-kun, utoi, wolvknight, VescaWithoutWings, YaoiLover1995, and icestar-comet-moon!**

**Over 300 reviews! Wow! You guys are awesome!**

**Jaa ne!**


	21. Tearless Mourners

_Young men standing on the top of their own graves,  
__Wondering when Jesus comes, are they gonna be saved,  
__Cruelty to the winner, bishop tells the king his lies,  
__Maybe you're a mourner, maybe you deserve to die,  
__He's come so far to find no truth,  
__He's never going home...  
__People all grow up to die.-_Soldier Side-System of a Down

* * *

It was dawn now. He didn't have enough chakra to do anything but walk along the forest floor. He didn't have the strength to do anything but walk. The slight weight in his arms felt heavy, though he knew it wasn't. Were he not so exhausted the weight would feel like nothing. As it was the slight weight threatened to drag him down.

Itachi blinked as he broke through the very edges of the woods and stood in the morning sunlight. The forest, even without leaves, was gloomy and dark. Sunlight came through it in broken patterns and Itachi rarely ever saw the sun anytime before lunch. Now it was staring him in the face and making his eyes water.

Itachi wished it were raining.

Itachi lowered Sasuke's broken body to the ground. While he'd carried the body he could feel bones grating together. The boy's back was broken, and some of his ribs were snapped. His leg was obviously broken too. Itachi crouched by the corpse, resting his weary legs and looking over the damage.

The Kyuubi had been held back. If Sasuke had just run he might have lived, but no, he'd stayed to fight. He'd _initiated_ a fight with a demon of legendary power. Of course the boy was dead now. It was amazing that he hadn't died before now if he was stupid enough to run at a demon with steel drawn. Itachi felt his lips quirk into a bitter smile.

This was what became of plans. Idiots messed them up and threw a whole set of realities away. People too ignorant to see what they were doing stepped wrong and down fell the mighty. People were built up and then smashed down. That was the way of the world. Itachi had been sure he could change that. He was going to rise above that problem and refuse to be thrown down. That was impossible now.

Itachi gave an irritated sigh and did what he came to do. He reached down and jerked the broken leg straight. The cracking pop made him wince, and for a second, he was glad Sasuke was dead and couldn't feel that. He went on, straightening limbs and pushing some of the more obviously broken bones back into place.

The arms were laid flat at Sasuke's sides, though one was half-missing. Itachi straightened the legs and wiped the dirty feet off with his sleeve. It didn't help much. He tugged Sasuke's burnt clothes straight and, finally, smoothed out his facial features. He looked asleep now, if one discounted the pallor and smell of burnt flesh. Itachi took another moment to flick Sasuke's hair out of his face and make sure the boy's head was facing north.

Itachi flipped a kunai out from his sleeve and dropped it. He stared at the kunai as if it had bitten him and slowly reached down to pick it back up. It shook in his hand and Itachi knew he was pushing himself. He was past pushing himself. If he could get back to Kisame without collapsing it would be a miracle. Itachi grinned at the thought and went back to work.

He cut a square of cloth out of his cloak. The stuff was tough, but Itachi kept his kunai razor blade sharp. The cloth came loose with a soft ripping noise, and Itachi picked a few errant pieces of leaf off the fabric. He snapped it to remove some of the dust and leaned forward to place it over Sasuke's face.

He paused. Memories flooded him. Oh, having a perfect memory was great unless you _didn't_ want to remember. A three year-old little chubby face flashed through his mind. Tiny hands reached for him. Little teeth smiled, and a small mouth called for him to wait. Arms wrapped around him, and tiny hands caught at his hands.

"I was supposed to kill you," Itachi whispered to the corpse, half-mad and half something he didn't want to know. He looked at the lax features, and his hands shook. "You weren't supposed to die yet, _otouto-chan_."

Itachi dropped the cloth over Sasuke's face and stood. He wasn't sad his brother had died, merely upset that it had happened in a way that didn't benefit him. Years of planning had been thrown away. Itachi was now severely handicapped. He needed a new plan, but he suspected there were no alternatives to the plans that involved his brother.

He was troubled simply because of that, and the hot prickling he felt in his eyes was only because he was tired.

* * *

Genma sat by the hospital bed and folded paper cranes. It was an easy task that he'd done numerous times over his life. He was silently pleased that he was a better folder than Raidou, whose folds were not as precise and whose cranes looked a little lopsided. Together the two of them had folded something like a hundred cranes in the past hour. Genma's hands were starting to ache and shake.

Kotetsu was folding cranes with them, but he spent more of his time arranging them. As soon as they had the agreed number of one-hundred seventy-five, Genma and Raidou were going to put them on a string and take them down to the Heroes' Stone for Izumo. Izumo's name had just been put on the stone, but no one seemed concerned with burning incense for it or doing anything else to honor the fallen shinobi. They were all saving their incense for someone else who'd just died.

Kotestu's cranes were more misshapen than Raidou's. The medication Kotetsu was on made his hands shake, and he kept ripping the wings off his cranes. He was too spaced out to be upset about all the ripped cranes, but Genma knew the younger shinobi wouldn't stop trying to fold cranes until he had enough. Thus Genma and Raidou were here folding cranes for Izumo.

It didn't matter that they hadn't know Izumo very well. Genma could count the number of conversations he'd had with Izumo on both hands, but he'd known the man. He also knew Kotetsu, and every time he looked at those shaking hands and drugged eyes Genma knew that could be him. Maybe one day it would be. Maybe one day he'd slip and Raidou would die. Maybe Genma would have to live with the guilt and sorrow that came after losing a long-time missions partner.

Genma got a tight, uncomfortable feeling in his chest whenever he thought of Raidou dying. As a shinobi Genma was used to people dying. He'd lost mission partners before, and once or twice his own screw-up had caused the death. It was tragic but it was life. Raidou was a different matter all together. They'd been running missions together regularly for almost consecutive six years and had known each other long before that. They worked well together. People noticed that and stuck them together to prevent further deaths.

Izumo and Kotetsu had been Genin teammates. They'd been running missions together for at least twelve years. How attached did you get in twelve years? How much of yourself did you divest in your mission partner of twelve years? Mission partners were important, and having one you could rely on made missions run infinitely smoother. The thought of going on a high-risk mission without Raidou at his back unsettled Genma. What was Kotetsu feeling?

"Nah, Ge'ma-san, how many do we have?" Kotetsu asked suddenly. His voice was not quite right. There was too little inflection. There was too much drug in it. Something was missing from it.

"Um," Genma looked at the table. Last time he'd counted there had been one-hundred eleven, and he had no idea what they were up to now.

"One hundred twenty-three," Raidou intoned as he placed another crane down. "Only fifty-two left to go."

Kotetsu nodded gravely and picked up another square of paper. The cranes were black and white, both traditional colors of mourning. Genma glanced down at his black-stained fingertips and shrugged. Fifty-two wasn't such a bad number. In any case the hospital room felt like a sanctuary. It was easy to forget Konoha was falling down outside the little white room filled with the noise of paper folding.

Raidou and Genma should, of course, be reading the scroll in Raidou's apartment. They should be preparing for the mission the woman with dead eyes had handed Genma earlier today. Genma and Raidou hadn't even opened the scroll, but Genma thought he had a sinking suspicion what it was about.

So here they were, folding endless paper cranes for a shinobi who'd probably run his last mission. Kotetsu wasn't the shinobi he used to be. What he'd seen and heard and lost on his last mission had tipped the delicate scales of sanity in his mind. All shinobi were half-insane by civilian standards, but no shinobi really cared what a civilian had to say. They were sheep that you needed to protect and nothing else, really. It was when you became insane by shinobi standards you had problems.

Kotetsu had problems.

Kotetsu stuck his tongue out and folded another black crane. His eyes weren't really seeing the crane, and who knew what he was thinking. There was a vacant look to him that completely unsettled Genma. One thought kept running through Genma's head:_ 'That could be me.'_

Fifty-two cranes and some needlework later Genma and Raidou stood to leave. Raidou gave Kotestu's wild hair an affectionate ruffle while Genma hung the cranes next to Kotestu's bed. They both promised to be back in the morning. Hanging the cranes at the memorial stone in the morning would be better luck, in theory. Kotetsu didn't say anything. He stared at the slightly rotating string of bi-colored cranes while Genma and Raidou left.

There was a scroll that had their names in it, and it was now time to read it.

* * *

Dawn found Genma and Raidou back at Kotetsu's little hospital room. It wasn't time for visiting hours, but shinobi got special privileges. Shinobi came and went at crazy hours, and it was hard enough to find time to visit infirmed friends, much less find time do it during normal visiting hours.

Genma was trying to be cheerful. The man would never admit it, but he had a soft spot for anyone around the age of his former Genin team. Kotetsu fit the bill, being only a year older than Iruka and Hayate. Genma was also nicer than he liked people to think. He was always visiting distant friends and acquaintances in the hospital. Raidou usually went with him. Raidou knew how boring hospitals were, and how a shinobi chafed to be out and running missions again.

Genma took the string of cranes down and smiled at Kotetsu. "We'll burn a cone of incense for you too, and we'll put the cranes up. The weather's been dry lately, so they should last a long time."

Kotestu looked from Raidou to Genma with drugged eyes, and Raidou knew that was for the best. He remembered how Kotetsu had acted when they first dragged him in. He'd fought anyone who got close enough and kept screaming for Izumo. Drugged as he was he didn't have the energy to fight, and his mind was too muddled to remember the horror of Izumo's death.

"Oi, you eat all your breakfast?" Raidou asked as he poked at the unappetizing tray in front of Kotetsu. "You need to, otherwise the nurses will put a tube in your stomach. It'll take you twice as long to get out if they do that."

"Why should I get out?" Kotetsu asked as he finally looked at Raidou." 'Zumo's not out. Why should I be?"

"Izumo would want you to get out, kiddo," Raidou explained. He mussed Kotetsu's hair and imagined he could feel the boy's broken mind. "Just eat up, 'kay? We need all the shinobi we can get these days. You can run missions with me and Genma."

Genma grinned, but it was a bitter smile. "Yeah, we're getting so old we need a new set of eyes to keep watch for us." That was a lie. Genma's eyes were as sharp as ever, and Raidou's were too.

If they lived out the week Raidou would make good on their promise and lean on some people to get Kotestsu running missions with him and Genma. It shouldn't be too hard. No one wanted to run missions with a broken shinobi. Raidou could only hope Kotetsu wasn't as broken as he looked.

"Anyway, we've got a mission this morning, so we've gotta run," Genma explained as he spun his string of cranes with one finger. "You want us to pray anything specific for Izumo?"

Kotetsu blinked, and his eyes seemed to grow hazy. Raidou felt a shiver work its way down his spine, and he saw Genma's eyes widen.

"Yeah, yeah," Kotetsu murmured. "Tell him...tell him I'm comin'."

Genma closed his eyes. "Sorry kid, I can't tell him that. You're not coming. You're gonna be stuck running missions with me and Raidou till we're all old and grey. As soon as they let you, and we get back from our mission--"

"You're not," Kotetsu cut in, shifting his gaze to Genma.

"Not what?" Genma asked, but Raidou could see the tension in him. Oh, he knew what Kotetsu was going to say, and so did Raidou. Raidou felt his muscles tense too. He didn't want to hear it.

"You're not coming back from your mission," Kotetsu said, eyes vacant. " 'S'another one. Another suicide mission for the old and faithful. The only way you ever come back is in a body bag."

Raidou and Genma didn't say anything--couldn't say anything until after they'd reached the Heroes' Stone. Genma hung the cranes by the monument and set out three cones of incense. Each was a different scent, and when lit they smelled very nice. Genma didn't believe in burning cheap incense for the dead. Then again, neither did Raidou.

"Oh, look, they put the little Uchiha's name on the stone already," Genma observed. He let his finger brush over the newest name and grimaced. "He was what, eleven?"

"Twelve, I think, or thirteen," Raidou shrugged and flipped two cones of incense out of a pouch. He offered one to Genma, who took it with a grim smile.

Raidou lit the extra cone and clapped his hand together. He heard Genma do the same. Raidou closed his eyes and sent up several silent prayers for the newly fallen. He also slipped in a prayer or two for himself and Genma. Maybe they were a little premature but maybe not.

"Now then," Genma stood up and offered a hand down to Raidou. "Ready to go?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Raidou replied. He took Genma's hand and used it to lever himself to his feet. The two then headed off for Konoha's gates at an easy amble. They looked like shinobi with no place to be, and nowhere to go. Raidou wished that were the case.

"How d'you think Kotetsu knew?" Genma asked as they headed into the busier parts of Konoha.

"That we're going on a suicide mission? Who knows. He probably read something in our actions that made him think that, or he now thinks every mission is a suicide mission." Raidou shrugged.

"Why us?" Genma asked. "I mean, it'd make more sense if someone had paid for it, you know. Those missions that are utterly hopeless but some fat, rich guy paid oodles of money so some shinobi get to die for it. No one's paying for this one, Raidou."

"Except us," Raidou put in. They were about to pay the ultimate price in blood and spilled guts. "Maybe you just know the wrong people."

Genma laughed harsh and bitter. "Yeah, that's probably it. Makes more sense than their cover story about the little Uchiha's death. I saw that body, and nothing human did that."

"The whole thing's twisted Genma," Raidou said with a shrug. "Don't try to make sense of it." Genma shrugged back and they walked on in silence. They didn't need any more words.

They didn't have to say it was strange to think of this as their last walk through Konoha. Genma didn't have to mutter how strange it was to think of never going into that little bar again. Raidou didn't have to point out how strange it was to see that little house with the crazy pink shutters for the last time. They knew. They both knew and words would just drag them down and drown them now.

Genma and Raidou walked out of Konoha for the last time, and came face to face with six children. One in a flak vest stepped forward to meet them and saluted.

"Nara Shikamaru, head of the forest patrol," the boy said in an admirably deep voice.

"Shirunui Genma and Namiashi Raidou, here to start on our retrieval mission. You've been informed?" Genma asked, his tone and words purely professional.

"We have, and we wish you luck," Shikamaru took a breath. "There are three missing-nin in the forest, two S-rank and one unranked. There is also the Kyuubi. Please proceed with caution." Raidou heard one of the Genin, an Inuzuka, mutter: 'Run away screaming while you still can' as Shikamaru said 'proceed with caution.' Raidou pretended not to hear.

"Thanks for your warnings. Anything else?" Genma asked, eyes straying to the forest. It was hard to focus on formalities when you were about to die.

"The unranked missing-nin is probably lower than 'S'," Shikamaru shrugged a bit, as if he didn't really know or care if that was true. "And when should we expect you back?"

Genma made a face. How did you explain a suicide mission to a bunch of kids? Granted they were shinobi, but knowing these things happened and meeting two people going on a suicide mission were two very different things.

"The chance of success is very low." Raidou shifted and felt everyone stare at him.

"So expect you to take a while, and look for you to come back injured, yeah?" the Inuzuka in the group almost growled. This was the one that had been injured in a fight with the S-class missing-nin. He still showed red marks and bandages.

Genma smiled, and it was something of an okay smile. "Yeah, something like that."

All the Genin took a step back and saluted. Raidou had the passing thought that Iruka would be proud of the Genin's precision. Or would he?

There wasn't time to think about that. They were headed into woods that held three missing-nin and a blood-thirsty demon. They were about to steal a scroll from a shinobi that had killed his entire clan when he was just thirteen. He wasn't alone either. One more S-class missing-nin was with him, and then there was Iruka. Who knew what he was going to throw at them. If one threw in the Kyuubi then only one thing was clear.

Genma and Raidou were about to die.

* * *

**A/N: I'm tempted to call this chapter a filler chapter, since so little happened, but I won't... We have now passed the one-hundred page mark. Woot.**

**I love writing insane people. **

**THANKS TO ALL MY REVIEWERS! I LOVE YOU TO DEATH!**

**(This abbreviated author's note is brought to you by a mysterious and nasty fever bug.Sorry!)**

**Jaa ne!**


	22. Falling Stars

_Don't tell me how life is,  
__Cause I really don't want to know,  
__Don't tell me how the game ends,  
__We'll just see how it goes,  
__Catch me when I fall,  
__Or you'll need me when I'm not here at all,  
__Miss me when I'm gone again,  
__I'm going down in flames.-_Down in Flames-3 Doors Down

* * *

Two days was agony if one had to sit around and recover chakra. Iruka was glad Itachi recovered quickly. The Uchiha had looked _dead_ two days ago, but now he claimed he was ready to do a massive jutsu and try an experimental sealing of demonic chakra. Iruka had always known there was a fine line between genius and insanity, but he had never known exactly how fine that line was until now.

He'd also severely underestimated Itachi. The shinobi's chakra had been almost wiped out, and in a day he was up and working small jutsu. Kisame had already found the appropriate clearing and marked out the array by the time Itachi was moving. Iruka was still recovering, not that he could help with the array making. _He_ didn't know any earth jutsu.

Iruka's arms were healing slowly. He'd carry scars from the Kyuubi's teeth and claws for the rest of his life, and what magnificent scars they would be. Iruka's other problem was the fact he felt like he'd been sunburned all over. His skin was tender, and doubly so where it hadn't been covered. Iruka suspected the Kyuubi's chakra had done that.

Iruka mostly scavenged for food. There wasn't much to be had, and now even the fish were becoming scarce. He felt useless and downtrodden as he went about his menial chores of gathering food, cooking, and trying to do something about his battered, ripped, and worn jumpsuit. It was, unfortunately, beyond repair. Iruka simply ripped the sleeves off and cut the pants off above the knee. The weather was warm enough for such apparel anyway.

Iruka avoided the clearing where Kisame and Itachi were working. He didn't like thinking about what he had agreed to do. He was going to stand in the middle of a complicated array he didn't understand and put himself at Kisame and Itachi's mercy once again. He could come out a vegetable or something. The thought made him want to back out and run away.

Still, he had to do it. He didn't want Itachi testing out the jutsu on the real Kyuubi first thing. Iruka didn't want to take chances with Naruto, and thus he had to take the chances himself. He just had to hope Kisame and Itachi still needed him. If they did he might survive the process, and hopefully he'd never have to worry about the growling chakra in his stomach again.

Even though he had rationalized his need to take the risk, the sight of the growing array made Iruka's hair stand on end. It could have been the Kyuubi's invasive chakra making itself known, but Iruka thought the unease was mostly his own. He'd just wait and let Kisame and Itachi tell him when it was time to try out the jutsu. 'Till then he was staying as far away from the array as he could.

Kisame and Itachi didn't bother leaving a clone to watch Iruka while they were off working. They knew he wouldn't dare do anything risky at this stage. He couldn't chance messing anything up if he wanted Naruto back, and he most certainly wanted his dandelion boy back. So he waited and healed.

When Kisame and Itachi came back with the darkness on the second day Kisame looked at Iruka and gave him a toothy grin. Itachi simply sat down and began eating the under-cooked fish Iruka had been ruining. His mind wasn't on the cooking at all.

"Tomorrow we'll do your sealing," Itachi announced between one mouthful and the next. That was that, and the day of dread was decided. Iruka could barely swallow the fish, and it made him sick.

* * *

The array was massive. It was a mass of circles, triangles, squares, and other shapes Iruka could only begin to see. The ground around it was completely cleared of leaves, and there was something very ominous about the absence of the deadfall. The air was still today, and more than ever Iruka could hear the silence of the forest. He wished for birds to break the tension of the silent air.

"Can you translocate to the middle?" Itachi asked. Iruka imagined there was more color than usual in Itachi's pale face this morning.

Iruka nodded and felt his stomach knot up.

"Good, now, we're going to draw on your chakra to help us with the sealing," Itachi began explained. "So if you feel something pulling_ do not_ resist it or you'll make our job harder. Also, you need to help us suppress the Kyuubi's chakra into the sealing area. With you we're actually going to have to make as seal, while when we do this with the Kyuubi's vessel the Yondaime's seal will take over once we've suppressed the Kyuubi's chakra enough."

"In theory," Kisame added cheerfully.

Itachi rolled his eyes but otherwise ignored Kisame. "You got that?" the Uchiha asked Iruka. Itachi had instructed Iruka on all this last night, but Iruka wasn't begrudging the repeat.

Iruka felt a grumble in his stomach. "Sure." It sounded simple, but Iruka doubted it would be. Nothing was simple any more.

"Good, are you ready to start?" Itachi asked. He looked at Iruka and his eyes were almost red. The Uchiha was an inch away from activating the sharingan. Was he excited or worried? Did he know how eerie his charcoal grey eyes looked with that deep red tint to them? Did he care?

Iruka shook his head and worked slowly through the signs of a translocation. He ended up in the middle of the array. He felt like a caged animal. His instincts screamed to get _out _of the array, but he stayed. Here was where he needed to be. He worked his mind through the signs Itachi had hammered into him last night, and waited.

Kisame and Itachi took the north and south points of the array respectively. Itachi stood with his hands in a sign, head down and waiting. Iruka could hear the water beginning to flow into the trenches. He watched as the water gently filled the array lines. It looked beautiful, actually. Shafts of sunlight caught the water in some places and made it sparkle. Soon that water would be sparkling for an entirely different reason.

Iruka tensed as he saw the water meet at Itachi's point. It was almost time. The water stopped lapping at the sides of the trenches and fell still. Iruka almost held his breath. Everything else seemed to be doing the same. So much hung on the next few moments. Would this work? Would it?

Itachi's hands flipped into the first set of signs. Iruka held his hands in one, and wished they weren't trembling. Itachi's hands were blurs, flipping through signs faster than sight. Iruka felt the chakra gathering, and his stomach flipped and burned. Here it came.

The water crackled and came alive. Chakra burned down it. Iruka could see colors flashing through the chakra as it slid along the water. Iruka's own chakra responded, drawing itself out along the water. In seconds the glow of the chakra was so great Iruka couldn't see past the little circle he was standing in. He squeezed his eyes shut and concentrated on the signs his hands fell through. He couldn't mess this up. He wouldn't.

The Kyuubi's chakra roared. There was no other way to describe it. It fought and thrashed against Iruka's tremulous hold on it as it sensed what was happening. Iruka struggled with it, and felt the chakra around him building and concentrating itself on him. This was not a place to be, his mind screamed. This place, where a stunning amount of chakra was focusing, was not a good place to stand. Iruka needed to get away from it. He needed to move.

He couldn't. He stood still and forced himself to concentrate. The Kyuubi's chakra shook and burned within him. He held it and bit his lip. His skin was alive with chakra, and little of it was his. The chakra gathering around him pushed down on him, and it _hurt_. It burned and tugged at him in ways he didn't like. It wanted to _do_ something to him, and as a shinobi Iruka was supposed to avoid being the focus of this much chakra. He was supposed to get away from it, not stand in the middle and call it towards him.

It condensed.

Iruka might have screamed. He couldn't hear anything over the roar of the Kyuubi's chakra in his ears. He couldn't see anything but light, growing, mixing, and flashing around him. He couldn't feel anything but the feeling of being crushed and burnt at the same time. He was dying. He was being compressed into too small a space. He was being burnt alive from the inside out.

His stomach clenched and burned. All the feelings pulled back and concentrated on Iruka's stomach. He dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around his stomach. It burned. It hurt. It-it-

"Did it work?" a voice far too close asked.

Iruka flinched and pried an eye open. Itachi regarded him with a red, spinning eye. Iruka had the urge to growl and bare his teeth at the Uchiha, but that was the prankster in him coming out at long last. Instead Iruka nodded and sat back. He was drenched in sweat.

"I'm alive, and I think it did..." Iruka prodded the place where the Kyuubi's chakra had been and met a dead place where there was no chakra what-so-ever. He pulled up his shirt and stared at the scar on his stomach. It didn't look like a seal, but then they hadn't used any ink...

"So, when're you due, Oikawa-chan?" Kisame asked as he appeared beside them and peered down at Iruka's stomach too.

"Haha," Iruka pulled his shirt back down and prodded at the dead spot again with his chakra. "You know, I think that really worked." He felt his face, sore as it was, break out in a huge grin. He was surprised to find his grin mirrored on Kisame's face, and a self-satisfied smirk on Itachi's face.

"Well, of course it did," Itachi replied smugly.

Iruka scooped his hand into the water beside him and splashed the genius Uchiha in the face.

* * *

Iruka felt like he was going to explode. It was like waiting to give a student news he had passed a test that he had been expecting to fail with flying colors, only ten times as great. Iruka couldn't stop smiling, and he knew he looked like an idiot. The only one who could see him was Naruto, and maybe even Naruto couldn't see him. Iruka tried not to think about that. It wasn't a good subject to think on.

Iruka slurped at his ramen, and watched Kyuubi-Naruto eat. Iruka only had two more cups of ramen, and those he was saving for a very important event. They were going to be part of the bait to get the Kyuubi into the middle of the array.

_Want to catch demons? Use ramen, _Iruka thought as Kyuubi-Naruto scarfed down the ramen. Iruka really, _really_ wanted to tell Naruto that they were days away from sealing the Kyuubi again, but he didn't dare. The Kyuubi probably wouldn't like being sealed again, and at this point Iruka wasn't sure Naruto could do something the Kyuubi was dead-set against. It was best to keep quiet and hope Naruto wasn't giving up hope.

"So, Naruto, how's it going?" Iruka asked. He didn't expect an answer.

Kyuubi-Naruto looked and grinned. "Not so bad, ya know."

Iruka's smile widened, if that was even possible, and he opened his mouth to reply.

"Kakashi-sensei was late again," Kyuubi-Naruto babbled on. "And Sakura-chan wouldn't even look at me. She spent all her time mooning over Sasuke. What's so great about him? He's an obnoxious jerk, and every time you _try_ to be nice to him he blows up at you.

"Sakura asked him if he wanted to go get something to eat after practice, and he was like 'Oh, no, I have more important things to do.' So I said _I_ would go eat with her, and she punched me! I really don't get girls..."

Iruka's smile froze, and his heart dropped. He remembered this conversation. They'd had it over ramen a month after Naruto had been put on his Genin team. Iruka's heart pounded. What did it mean? Why was Naruto repeating this conversation?

"Maybe I should ask her if she wants to eat. D'you think that would make a difference, Iruka-sensei? I'll ask her anyway, and how can anyone say 'no' to ramen? Especially free ramen, you know, but that's not the reason why I eat with you! I mean, you're Iruka-sensei, and I'd eat ramen with you even if I had to buy it myself."

Iruka could almost see the ramen stand. He could see Naruto talking and slurping ramen. He could see clear blue eyes and bright blond hair. He could see his Naruto instead of what the Kyuubi's chakra had turned him into. He could remember the carefree innocence. Remembering hurt.

"Tha-that's great, Naruto," Iruka repeated his reply in the long past conversation and tried to smile again. Kyuubi-Naruto grinned and tipped his head back to get that last bit of ramen out of the Styrofoam cup. He set it down and licked his lips with a very satisfied look on his face.

Iruka, feeling sick and shaken by the boy's words, reached for the cup. "I'll take that, if you're done with it."

He expected Naruto to hand it over, as he had all the other cups. Kyuubi-Naruto grabbed it up and let out a noise between a snarl and a hiss. Iruka felt chakra grab at him and he jerked back. In a flash of chakra the Kyuubi was gone, leaving Iruka alone with a singed circle of deadfall.

"Well, er, goodbye then," Iurka called.

He sat where he was for a while, and then picked up his own ramen cup. He shoved it into a pocket of his flak vest and stood. Iruka couldn't bring himself to discard his poor, battered flak vest. The thing had survived this long, and Iruka liked having a million and one pockets to store things in. Even if part of it had been burned away by the chidori...

Iruka sighed and tilted his head back to look at the sky. It was an excellent blue today. Iruka wished he were looking at that blue between green leaves instead of dead branches. It was one of many things he wished right now. Foremost in his mind was the wish that Naruto had actually spoken to him today.

Why had the boy repeated a long ago conversation? That hadn't even been a very important conversation, come to think of it. It was one of thousands Iruka and Naruto had shared over ramen. Why had Naruto said it? Was there a hidden meaning in it? Had the boy squirreled away some coded message that the Kyuubi wouldn't understand?

Iruka shook his head. He was still tired from the jutsu this morning, but he was better off than Itachi and Kisame. Both were resting, and Kisame had been asleep. Iruka wasn't sure he had ever seen Kisame sleep, and it was a sight that was both amusing and disturbing. He hoped those two wouldn't need to rest too long before they were ready to perform the jutsu again.

The sooner they did the jutsu, the better. Iruka's mind fell back to the old conversation. He was actually amazed Naruto had remembered it word for word, or at least Iruka thought it was word for word. Iruka was surprised _he_ had remembered it so well. But what did it mean?

_Maybe he was trying to say he remembers you,_ part of Iruka's mind prodded, and that made sense. It certainly made more sense than complicated messages encrypted in long-past talks over ramen. Naruto had always been simple like that, and it was nice to think that the Kyuubi hadn't changed that.

Iruka decided to be optimistic and take Naruto's rambling as a good thing--a sign the boy was still in control enough to do things. Maybe he couldn't control the Kyuubi, but he could slip inconsequential things past it. Iruka let himself smile a little.

Iruka heard a hiss he _knew_. He jumped back and whirled around in time to see three senbon bury themselves in the ground. He crouched and gathered himself up, ready for a fight. His eyes flickered around, and his ears strained to hear any more sounds. He got the feeling those three senbon were a warning, and the next ones would be thrown in earnest. Who would be stupid enough to give their enemy a warning?

Iruka got his answer quickly. Two Konoha shinobi dropped from the trees. One was slimmer and shorter than the other, and stood in front. His dark blond hair fell out from under his _hitai-ate _limply, and his golden eyes were narrowed. The farther-away shinobi stood collected with kunai in his hand, his features less distinct. Iruka knew them both.

"Genma," Iruka almost gasped. The noise was strangled. He stepped back, eyes wide. He didn't want to fight Genma. If the man came at him then he would, but Iruka _really_ didn't want to fight Genma. If both Genma and Raidou attacked Iruka at the same time than Iruka would probably lose. They looked uninjured and ready for a fight.

Iruka resisted the urge to shrink back again. He _did not_ want to fight his former sensei. He did not want to fight Raidou, and he most definitely didn't want to fight them together. It didn't look like he was going to get a choice.

Genma looked at Iruka, and Iruka was struck by how helpless of a look it was--a look of resignation. Iruka had rarely seen that look on Genma's face. Iruka didn't like it. Resignation or not, Genma held two handfuls of senbon, which were probably poisoned. Iruka didn't want to think about that. Genma was a master with poisons, and whatever coated those shiny-looking needles would be potent and effective.

"Umino Iruka!" Genma called, his voice hard and cold. "You're a missing-nin of Konoha who's stolen from your former village. Give us back the scroll you took, and we won't kill you."

Iruka felt his lips quirk, and before he could stop he barked a laugh. "You won't kill me, but you will capture me and take me right to ANBU, ne, Genma-sensei? I don't have the scroll, so you're wasting your time." Oh, Iruka's stomach twisted. He didn't want Genma and Raidou to die, which they would most definitely do if they went after the scroll. Itachi and Kisame would rip them apart.

"If you refuse to cooperate we'll have to kill you," Genma replied. He'd flinched when Iruka had called him 'sensei'. Did he have a problem with killing one of his former students? Probably not. Genma's hands moved, preparing to throw his poison-laden senbon, and Iruka flipped kunai into his hands.

Iruka felt it before he saw it. The chakra hit him with familiar nausea, and he tensed as the urge to run washed over him. Genma's eyes widened, and he froze. Raidou had frozen too, and Iruka knew how they felt. The first time the Kyuubi's burning chakra pushed down on you it was overwhelming.

Iruka looked past Genma and Raidou to the crouched figure who radiated chakra. Iruka remembered Naruto's words. If a fight broke out then not only would Genma and Raidou die, but Iruka might be killed as well. Naruto might even lose himself completely to the Kyuubi. Iruka wet his lips and stepped slowly forward. Genma looked at him, pupils dilated.

"Genma-se--san, Raidou-san," Iruka swallowed. "I-I need you to walk slowly towards me." Iruka's voice only shook a little. For a moment he thought the other shinobi wouldn't do as he said. Then they moved. Raidou moved first, perhaps because he was closer to the Kyuubi.

Genma took a hesitant step forward, and Iruka walked to meet him. Iruka kept his eyes on the Kyuubi after that, afraid to look away. He stopped only inches away from Genma, and he could see his former sensei was shaking. Raidou took another step and was right behind Genma. Iruka spared them a quick look, and he took a quick breath. He hoped his plan would work.

There was a chance Genma would take this opportunity to kill Iruka. There was a chance Iruka could just be luring them closer to kill _them_. There were so many things that could have happened while three shinobi on opposite sides stood so close to each other, all with weapons out. So many ways to die—to be killed. None of the expected things happened, and no one was going to die yet.

"Now, run!" Iruka almost shouted at them. He took off in the opposite direction, headed straight for the Kyuubi. He kept his kunai out, and dragged them dangerously close to the Kyuubi as he streaked by.

He felt rather than saw the creature turn towards him and start to run after him. Iruka had a moment to relish his triumph of letting Genma and Raidou escape before he realized he had his own problems. He had a blood-thirsty demon on his tail, and Naruto wouldn't be able to help him.

* * *

**A/N:Iruka really needs to think these things through better, huh? I realize there's been less and less of Iruka centric-ness as the story goes on... luckily you all seem to like Genma and Raidou!**

**Thanks to the reviewers:wolvknight, Juniperbreezie, Marz1, Ice Dragon3, firedraygon, Mare, Ghostboy814, icestar-comet-moon, Nicole Miklos, A kira, BlackDove-alchemist, WannabeFireFox, Miranda Crystal-Bearer, RedTheRetard, and sasori-kun!**

**350 reviews! WOW!**

**Four more chapters and an epilogue to go ya'll! Hang in there!**

**Jaa ne!**


	23. Broken Boy

_Miles away from trustin' someone,  
__Far from giving up,  
__Young blood, cry tough,  
__Mean street run,  
__There's a hunger inside you,  
__Desperate rebel runaway,  
__Far from giving up.-_Troubled Child-Journey

* * *

It was a long time before Genma and Raidou stopped running. Genma collapsed against a tree and slid down into a hollow between the roots. He was sweaty and shaking. Raidou crouched beside him, his breathing loud and harsh in the silent forest. They sat and breathed, both shaken and more than a little disturbed.

Genma could still feel the wash of chakra hounding him. He could still feel the mind-numbing presence that made him want to curl up and die. His senses felt raw. His body felt weak and trembled with each pounding heartbeat.

"Well." Genma finally managed to form words that didn't feel frantic. "That didn't go like I expected it to."

Raidou snorted. "You had expectations for this mission, aside from the whole 'we're going to die' part?"

"I didn't expect Iruka to save me from the Kyuubi, thanks," Genma snapped sharply.

"The kid seemed very surprised to see us," Raidou commented, ignoring Genma's scathing tone. Genma noted Raidou's hands were quivering. They'd just escaped death by luck, and maybe Iruka's stupidity. You weren't supposed to help the people who had come to kill you.

"Oh, gee, two shinobi drop out of a tree, try to kill him, and he's surprised? The point of jumping out of trees is to _surprise_ people, Raidou." Genma rubbed at the sweat on his forehead. "Now we have to find the main camp."

"I mean he was surprised to see you." Raidou rolled his eyes. "He didn't want to fight you."

"Do you want to fight everyone who's out to kill you?" Genma retorted. He knew he was dancing arund Raidou's point, but he didn't care. He didn't want to face that. Raidou rolled his eyes and gave Genma a look that said he was being stupid...again.

Genma scowled. "Okay, okay, I didn't want to fight him either. Just like we didn't come on this mission because we wanted to."

"Just like?" Raidou pressed with what looked suspiciously like a smirk. Suicide missions and near-death experiences must agree with the older shinobi.

"Yeah, both end up with me dead. I don't want to do them, but I have to." Genma slipped off his _hitai-ite_ and dragged a hand through his hair.

"Hey, I'm here too, and we both could have taken him," Raidou put in. There was a ghost of a smirk on his face still.

"And have nothing left for the S-class missing-nin? I didn't mean _Iruka_ would kill us." Genma quirked an eyebrow at his friend. "We still have to get that stupid scroll back."

"The fact that they sent two Special Jounin to steal back a scroll stolen from a _Sannin _really screams 'suicide mission', doesn't it?" Raidou observed. "Now we know Iruka's occupied, so maybe we should head off now."

"Hold on," Genma mopped his sweaty face with his _hitai-ite_. "Gimme a second to get my heart out of my throat."

"Is that what that is? I thought you'd tried to swallow a frog," Raidou teased. It was amazing how they could banter while they were about to die. Then again, Genma could remember the same bantering when they were still Chuunin and on the front lines of the war. It helped keep despair from settling in and eating one apart from the inside out.

"Heh," Genma leaned his head back and stared up the dead tree. "Raidou, if it comes to it, I think you'll have to kill Iruka. I don't think I can do it."

"And Itachi?" Raidou asked. He didn't seem surprised by Genma's words.

"No, I think I can managed to kill that booger--er, I'm mentally capable, that is. I'm probably _not_ physcially capable of killing him." Genma managed his own grin. Brushes with death must agree with him too.

"Is anyone?" Raidou asked. "The Uchiha were never push-overs, and Itachi was the greatest thing they'd vomited out since Madara, you know. At least I think that's how I heard it put once. Are you sure you can't remember any great failings from his Genin days?"

"Yeah, he never stopped eating," Genma groused. "It's been way too long for me to say anything for certain, and the kid's probably twice as good, or more, than he was when I last saw him. My eight year old observations are sadly obsolete."

"Ah, it was worth a try. It might be nice to think the three years you spent with those kids wasn't completely wasted," Raidou said.

Genma barked a bitter laugh. "That's what it was, wasn't it? Three years of my life dedicated to training three future shinobi absolutely wasted. One of whom would die in a specatularly stupid way, one that would become the biggest traitor Konoha has seen in years, and one that would defect for no apperent reason what-so-ever."

"Gee, Genma, it's a wonder they haven't given you another Genin team," Raidou observed.

"I'd have turned it down. Teaching shinobi tears your heart out if you care, and you've got to care about them." Genma sighed and pulled himself up right. "Ready to get this over with?"

"Ready. Need to unburden your soul anymore?" Raidou asked as he stood and stepped back to stretch.

"Nah, I'll take the rest of my dark secrets to the grave with me, thanks." Genma smirked and tied his _hitai-ate_ back onto his head, signalling he was ready to get moving again. "What about you?"

"Well, I--"Raidou was cut off by something running into him. Genma winced and instantly had two handfuls of senbon ready to throw. Raidou, slightly off balance, was a few seconds later getting his weapons ready. What had run into Raidou was in worse shape, crumpled awkwardly on the ground where it had bounced off the man.

It was Iruka.

Genma tensed, eyes narrowing, then widening. Iruka lurched into a crouched position and looked at Genma and Raidou with huge eyes. His face was slick with sweat, as were his bare arms. He had a freely-bleeding cut across one cheek. He didn't look much like the Iruka Genma knew. For one he had a new scar on his right cheek, an ugly, still-red burn scar. He was also thinner than the Iruka Genma remembered. There was a haggard weariness to his look that made Genma's heart lurch.

"Iruka," Genma said before he knew why. The young man's eyes snapped to Genma, and his mouth moved. No words came out, but Genma saw the pained looked on Iruka's face.

"Raidou, put your weapons down," Genma said wearily. Raidou only hesitated a second before flicking his kunai out of sight. Genma took a step towards Iruka, sliding his senbon back home.

"Stay back!" Iruka snapped. His voice was ragged, and Genma could see he was breathing hard. How long had the Kyuubi chased him? Was the Kyuubi still chasing him?

"Oi, should we all be running from the Kyuubi now?" Raidou asked in an eerie mirror of Genma's thoughts. Ever the practical one, Raidou.

Iruka eyed him cautiously, seeming reluctant to take his eyes off Genma. "No, I-I lost it."

"Good, I thought we'd finally seen the last of you, brat." Genma found himself falling into his old manner of talking to Iruka. It was hard to remember he was a missing-nin, even with his lack of a _hitai-ate_.

"It would have been better for you, ne? Now you have to kill me." Iruka didn't move from his crouch, and Genma could see he was exhausted. Shinobi were highly unethical people as a general rule, but Genma still had a bit of a problem killing the man who'd just saved his life. His mission was actually to retrieve a scroll, not kill Iruka.

It was now time to interpret mission instructions as literally as possible. As long as Iruka didn't attack them or didn't have the scroll, Genma could avoid killing him. Why Genma cared about following orders on a suicide mission he wasn't really sure. That was just what shinobi did--they followed orders, no matter how stupid.

"As long as you don't have that scroll we need, no, and besides, last time we tried to attack you a demon tried to get us," Genma pointed out. "I'm not in a hurry to meet it again."

Raidou snorted. "He's trying to say you can relax, brat."

"So your job will be easier?" Iruka asked acidly. "Look, I'm a missing-nin, ne? I've killed a Konoha shinobi. I'm a comrade killer--your comrade. There's no way you--"

"Iruka!" Genma snapped. Iruka flinched and snapped his mouth shut. "Listen, brat, comrade-killing-missing-nin or no, you were once my student. I know why you defected. It's the same reason the Kyuubi didn't eat you, right?"

Iruka stared and opened and closed his mouth. He blinked and nodded.

Raidou looked between them. "So, Naruto's not as gone as we've been lead to believe, eh?"

Iruka nodded. "Not yet, at least." He hadn't relaxed any, but Genma felt better. He'd gotten rid of the almost hysterical viciousness in Iruka's voice.

Genma allowed himself to smile. "Right, so I'm guessing you're out here trying to get Naruto back and get rid of the Kyuubi, ne? See, that's for the benefit of Konoha, and as a shinobi of Konoha it would be stupid of me to get in your way. All we're here for is the scroll you snitched from Jiraiya."

"Hey, I didn't snitch anything. He _gave_ it to me." Iruka scowled. "Why would he want it back?"

"He _gave_ it to you?" Raidou queried as he and Genma traded glances. So, this was a straight-out suicide mission, then. Was Jiraiya in on it?

Iruka nodded. "And he said if I didn't use it right he'd hand me over to the ANBU...with love. You should go back and tell him I'm working on it."

"Jiraiya didn't send us, kiddo," Raidou said. At least, Genma hoped he hadn't. If the Sannin was starting to endorse suicide missions, than there might be more wrong in Konoha than Genma had thought.

"So why..." Iruka looked between them, and Genma could see his mind running in circles.

"It's a suicide mission, brat." Genma knew his voice sounded tired and old. It sounded like a shinobi who'd worked the front lines of the Third Great Shinobi War when he was ten and then lived on to be twenty-nine. Every blood-soaked year, every scar, every brush with death, every day just praying to live one more minute showed in Genma's words.

"You?" Iruka gasped. He looked between the two in shock. "A _suicide_ mission? Why--isn't Konoha losing enough shinobi as it is? Why throw more away?"

"My guess is Genma knows all the wrong people." Raidou shrugged. "You'd be surprised how many suicide missions are being run now. Those missions pay good, and that means more to some people than a nameless shinobi's life. Shinobi are shadows, and no one notices their shadow until it's gone."

Genma felt a bitter grin cross his face. Raidou was right. No one but the shinobi themselves would know the number of shinobi was dangerously low until they were gone, or nearly gone. Shinobi needed a Hokage to stand up for them.

Iruka was pale beneath his tan, and there was a redness on his skin that wasn't from exertion. Genma frowned. It looked like a sunburn, but he'd never seen Iruka with a sunburn. They'd gone to Suna for the Chuunin exam, and the boy had only browned, not burnt. What was with the bandage on his arm too? The bandage was wet with something that wasn't blood.

"How many?" Iruka asked in a tight voice.

"Suicide missions?" Raidou shrugged again. "It's hard to tell. Kotetsu and Izumo went on one though, and only Kotetsu came back. As soon as he's out of the hospital they'll probably send him on another one. He's not good for much else these days."

Iruka flinched. Izumo and Kotetsu had been only a year above him in the Academy. It was hard losing people you knew, especially to suicide missions. It was even harder to hear of people losing partners and going mad.

"So you're just going to let them kill you?" Iruka asked angrily. "You're just going to go off like sheep to the slaughter because they tell you too? How can you--"

"Oi!" Genma let the old teacher's snap enter his voice. "Think about it, brat. I'm your former sensei. If I come back untouched and unsuccessful from this mission, what will happen? I don't just get to go on my merry way. Raidou and I will get thrown to the spooks in the ANBU basement on suspicion of collaboration with an enemy of Konoha. I'd rather go down fighting under the clear sky and trees."

"For nothing?" Iruka pressed, eyes flashing.

Genma had to smile. "If you consider my dignity nothing, then yes, I'm dying for nothing." Raidou nodded.

Iruka looked between them again, and then he smiled his easy trickster smile.

"Want me to beat you around some so it looks like you got into a fight and lost?" Iruka asked, tipping his head to the side and standing up straight. He still didn't understand the older shinobi's choice, but Genma didn't think he could. Iruka loved life and still had a plethora of things to live for. He couldn't understand choosing to die. Later in life he would; if he got to live long enough.

"Nah, I'll pass," Genma grimaced. "You look too beat up to do much of anything anyway. What got you?"

"He let the Kyuubi chew on him," a very droll voice said.

Iruka jumped, moving himself between the Konoha shinobi and the speaker. "What do you want, Itachi?"

Genma tensed and looked to the speaker. Uchiha Itachi looked much the same as he always had. His charcoal grey eyes were half-lidded, and his face was a mask of disinterest. The lines under his eyes were deeper and longer, but that was to be expected. How strong was he now? At ten he'd been almost on par with Genma.

Itachi raised his eyebrows. "Just coming to see if the Kyuubi had eaten you this time. I didn't expect to find you chatting with our former sensei and Raidou-san."

It seemed wrong for Itachi to be so polite. He was a mass murderer. He had killed his whole clan in cold blood and left his brother alone in turmoil. He was a comrade-killing missing-nin. In name he was the same as Iruka, but in practice they were two very different things in practice. Genma knew Itachi wouldn't hesitate to kill them all.

"They were just leaving," Iruka said clearly. He stood tall, though that wouldn't help him against Itachi. Nothing intimidated him. He knew he was better than Iruka. He knew he could kill them all. He knew that, and he knew they knew that too. The little booger had always like being in control.

"Yes, to find our camp and attack us, I'm sure," Itachi replied dryly. "I've saved you the trouble of finding it, Genma-sensei."

Raidou bared his teeth in what was almost a smile. "Well thanks for being so considerate."

Genma eased a handful of senbon into his hand. Itachi's eyes flickered over the movement, but he didn't move. He wasn't concerned, and why should he be?

"You're welcome," Itachi replied. He turned his gaze on Iruka. "You should be resting."

"So should you," Iruka countered. "You used more chakra than I did."

Itachi raised his eyebrows again. "I'm not the one with freshly sealed demonic chakra. Fighting so soon after a sealing is not a good idea. Your chakra is still adjusting."

"I wasn't going to fight them! They're just here for the scroll!" Iruka snapped. Genma tensed more and readied for some sort of attack. He felt almost like he'd been transported back eight years. Itachi and Iruka had always bickered.

"Is that all?" Itachi almost smirked.

Something flew at Genma. He snatched his hand up and caught it before he thought better of it. His hand didn't explode or begin to melt. He held an ornate-looking scroll neatly rolled and tied with a piece of string. Iruka stared at the scroll, mouth agape.

"Take it, we don't need it anymore," Itachi said. "It's just another excuse for Konoha to come sneaking around in the forest, and last thing I need is more distractions at this time."

"Why not just kill us then?" Raidou asked.

Genma almost threw the scroll at him. That was not a question to be asking! They had the stupid scroll! They should be running for Konoha now!

Itachi looked at them, and for a moment there was almost a sneer on his face. "You," he began with utter disdain, "are not worth the chakra. Come on, Iruka."

With that the last Uchiha was gone, leaping up into the trees. Iruka looked after him and then glanced back at Genma and Raidou. Genma couldn't read his former student's face at all.

"Tell Jiraiya it'll happen on Tuesday," Iruka said, and then he was gone, vanished into the trees with Itachi. Genma and Raidou were once again alone on the forest, but now they were holding the scroll they needed.

Genma looked at Raidou.

Raidou looked at Genma.

Genma suddenly grinned and let out a boyish whoop before whirling around and taking to the treetops. Genma didn't look back to see if Raidou was following him. He could tell Raidou was by the wild laughter that echoed his own.

There was something utterly satisfying about cheating certain death.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter was HIJACKED by Genma and Raidou. I did not intend to write a whole CHAPTER of babbling. My apologies.**

**Thanks to the reviewers:Ryo Yuriko, Nicole Miklos, Mare, SomeGirl, Marz1 Ally Plz, Ice Dragon3, WannabeFireFox,icestar-comet-moon, micah.n10, A kira, BlackDove-alchemist, chi, VescaWithoutWings, wolvknight, Miranda Crystal-Bearer, and RedTheReatrd!**

**Jaa ne!**


	24. Deadly Comradarie

_Can you feel it?  
__Do you feel it coming down?  
__You gotta get up,  
__Can you get up off the ground?  
__Can you hear it,  
__Can you hear me screaming?-_ Me, You, and My Medication-Boys Like Girls

* * *

Shikamaru was proud of his team. They'd come a long way from being green Genin. As the forest border patrol they'd fought four battles and won three. The first had been with the two S-class missing-nin, and the only thing that had kept it from turning into disaster was Iruka. The other three fights, one against a group of Iwa-nin and the others against unidentified groups, had gone very well. Shikamaru was proud.

They worked well together now. In the Academy they had bickered, squabbled, and fought, but now they were a solid team. Maybe it was because they were scared. They were inches from death everyday. Former classmate or not, the Kyuubi would kill them. That fact had been hammered home a few days ago with Sasuke's death.

What the crazy Uchiha had been doing alone in the woods Shikamaru didn't know. What he did know was the Kyuubi had obviously gotten to him, and someone had laid him out respectfully for the Genin patrol to find. It hadn't been Iruka, judging by the black- and red-patterned cloth on the boy's face. Could it have been Itachi? Why would he have done that?

Shikamaru didn't waste much thought on it. It was impossible to understand crazy people's motives, and there was no doubt something in Itachi's mind was broken. Shikamaru ought to know: he was a genius too.

He'd told his mother that this morning as he'd left his empty house. His father was way on a mission, as were Ino and Chouji's dads. In fact, probably all the Genin had a father, mother, or siblings out running missions. Kiba could probably name five close relatives on a misison at any one time. It was hard going out everyday and not knowing who would be alive when you came back.

Shikamaru jumped from one tree to the next. They were on the look-out for the return of Genma and Raidou. The two older shonbi hadn't expected to return alive, but the Genin were still watching. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but Shikamaru didn't think Iruka would have let them get killed. Though, there wasn't like he'd have much of a choice if the two missing-nin decided Gnema and Raidou needed to die.

Shikamaru was beginning to think the only reason this patrol was here was to pick up corpses.

A bug smacked into Shikamaru's face. He stopped and watched as small swarm of bugs flew up. They buzzed in front of him and swirled around in a circle. Chouji and Hinata stopped beside him and peered at the _kikei_ bugs. Shikamaru was certain sending messages wasn't a major function of the Aburame's bugs, but it worked.

Shikimaru waved the cloud away and started forward again, faster. The cloud of bugs zoomed ahead. He followed with Hinata and Chouji on his heels. Whatever Shino had found he wanted them to be there _now_.

Shikamaru jarred to a stop a tree away from the rest of his team. He looked across at the other three-man team, and then looked down. Laughing--more like howling--on the ground were the two senior shinobi who'd gone into the woods and expected to die. Shikamaru got a thrill up his spine as the laughter, half-mad and half-desperate, reached him.

Kiba snuffled the air, as did Akamaru. The Inuzuka shrugged and started a rather noisy descent from the tree, calling back up as he went: "They're not genjutsu, unless someone finally remembered to copy the subject's personal scent..."

By the time the rest of the patrol was on the ground, the two were only snickering. It was had to get anything out of Genma and Raidou besides gasps and giggles. Shikamaru felt his face settle hard into its neutral mask. He really hoped if he lived to be as old as Genma and Raidou he wouldn't be as crazy as they were.

* * *

Jiraiya _was not_ hiding. He was keeping a poor invalid comfortable and calm, er, as calm as he could be. This meant four mind-numbing hours of folding multi-colored paper cranes for a reason Jiraiya had yet to discover. He wasn't about to question the more-than-slightly-unstable man's reasoning. If it kept Kotestu happy Jiraiya would fold cranes until the cows came home.

Kotetsu had started badly humming some old shinobi song. It was one of the more morbid ones filled with blood, failure, and loss. Jiraiya shuddered a little as the black little words paraded through his mind. Why did shinobi feel the need to make up such terrible songs? Weren't their lives dark enough without any reminders?

Maybe it was easier to just stay dark than to switch between light and dark all the time.

"So, kiddo, do we have enough cranes yet?" Jiraiya asked.

Kotetsu looked up and frowned. He shook his head. "No, not yet."

Jiraiya sighed. "Well, how many do we need?"

Kotetsu looked evasive before answering with: 'a lot'. Jiraiya really wished he knew the boy better. He'd like to know what was the drugs talking, what was the craziness, and what was the boy's natural disposition. Was he normally this secretive? Had he always had obessesive tendencies when it came to origami? Shinobi picked up some wierd hobbies and superstitions. Jiraiya had known a shinobi who'd always tucked a six of spades in her pocket before missions and refused to leave on a mission without it. Was this the same sort of ritual?

Why the cranes? Why the myriad rainbow-colored cranes that had to be folded? What were they for? Who were they for? If they were black or white Jiraiya might have thought them to be for a funeral offering, but Kotetsu's partner, Izumo, already had a lovely offering of black and white cranes by the Heroes' Stone.

Jiraiya sighed, and held his breath while someone walked by the door. He was mostly not-hiding from the village council, who as a collective whole seemed certain that Jiraiya should go ahead and take over as Hokage. If not they would nag him about something else. Tsunade was only a week away or less, though Jiraiya hadn't heard from her or anyone else traveling with her for a while. He trusted Asuma and Kurenai to get their job done. Tsunade was coming, and Jiraiya was going to hold open the position of Hokage for her. No one else could put all this wrong to right.

Of course, she might decide to level the city and start again, making it the gambling center of the world. Jiraiya snorted at the thought. It certainly couldn't be worse than what was standing here now. This was how great cities died. They choked on their own refuse, and who better to give Konoha the Heimlich than Tsunade, the miracle medic?

Someone tromped by the door again, but this time the footsteps stopped. The door started opening. Kotetsu paid the noises no attention, a sure sign he was drugged out of his mind. Jiraiya contemplated a quick translocation jutsu but decided against it. He'd get found eventually, and it might as well be somewhere as harmless as a hospital room. In any case he might be able to get away with staying and helping Kotestsu finish his 'a lot' of cranes.

"Oi, Kotestu, we brought you some snacks. I know how bad hospital food is," Genma said as he almost waltzed into the room carrying a pineapple. The happiness Jiraiya, which recognized immediately as an after-mission high, dissolved the second Genma saw Jiraiya.

Jiraiya smiled, and promptly got a pineapple chunked at his head.

Jiraiya caught the spiny fruit with a wince. "Wha-what was that for?" he asked.

"For getting us sent on a stupid suicide mission after you _gave_ the freakin' scroll to Iruka!" Genma snapped back, bristling all over. "You don't _give_ things to S-class missing-nin and then send Tokubetsu Jounin after it!"

"Genma, shut your trap," Raidou commented lazily as he slapped his friend on the back of his head. "We brought you ice cream, Kotetsu."

"I didn't send anyone on a suicide mission--" Jiraiya began indignantly.

"You came _back_!" Kotetsu almost howled, and then he burst into a furious storm of sobbing tears. There was a moment of silence--aside from Kotetsu crying--where all the male shinobi exchanged glances of 'oh no, crying.' Sure, it wasn't a woman, but it was still tears. Jiraiya hoped it was the drugs crying.

Raidou gave a little sigh and dropped his bag onto the foot of the bed. He slung an arm around Kotetsu and mussed the younger man's hair. "C'mon, Genma doesn't look _that_ hideous today."

"Hey, if I didn't know better I'd think you didn't want us to come back." Genma had a look on his face that said he thought exactly that. "If this is about the pineapple, you don't have to eat it."

"You came back," Kotetsu almost whimpered as he burrowed under Raidou's arm. He repeated the words over and over like a mantra. Raidou gave the others a helpless look and gave Kotetsu a squeeze.

"Well." Jiraiya juggled the prickly plant from hand to hand and looked at Genma. "What's this about you getting sent after Iruka to retreive the scroll I gave him? You know, if you did, it certainly wasn't on my behalf."

Genma scowled and flopped down in one of the room's chairs. "Well, I still consider it your fault that I had to go out and risk being eaten by a demon, beaten by one of my former students, crisped by another, and dismembered by a missing-nin."

"And you walk back into a hospital after all that unharmed." Jiraiya smiled. "Sounds like an ordinary day for you two."

Raidou barked a laugh that made Kotetsu almost jump off the bed. "Hardly. We usually just sit around a moan about how old we're getting. Who're the cranes for, Kotetsu?"

"No one," Kotetsu sniffed and wiped a long trail of snot off his face with his hand and wrist. "You came back."

"Oh, they were funeral cranes. How, erm, nice." Genma looked at the shiny trail of snot down Kotetsu's arm with pure disgust. Jiraiya sensed Genma had a long-time nemesis with snot.

"Lovely." Raidou grabbed a tissue from the table by Kotetsu's bed and held it to Kotetsu's nose. "Blow."

Kotetsu did as commanded, and Raidou wiped the trail of snot off Kotetsu's arm with another tissue. Jiraiya saw years of comforting comrades in Raidou's motions. It was amazing how a grizzled-looking man like Raidou could be such a tender nurse for the emotionally shaken.

"What kind of ice cream did you bring?" Kotetsu asked after a shaky silence.

"Vanilla--" Raidou began.

"With pineapple to put in it!" Genma grabbed the pineapple from Jiraiya. The shinobi grinned madly around the usual senbon in his mouth. "Because while ice cream is bad for you, but fruit is good for you."

"So if you add cheese into the mix it get even better?" Raidou asked with disgust.

"Oh, yes," Genma grinned and grabbed some bowls from the bag on the bed. "By the way," the shinobi looked back at Jiraiya and twitched his senbon. "Iruka said to tell you 'it' will happen on Tuesday."

'It'? Jiraiya frowned, and then he knew. The sealing jutsu would be carried out on Tuesday. Tuesday morning, since morning was when a shinobi had the most chakra. Jiraiya now had very important plans for Tuesday.

Three pairs of eyes watched the Sannin without blinking. Jiraiya felt a wan smile spread over his face. If he knew anything about shinobi, he also had three conspirators just thrown into his lap.

* * *

Iruka sat with his back against a tree and gnawed on a piece of dried meat. There was a tension in the air he hadn't felt before. Maybe it was new. The end of the temporary alliance was drawing near, and Iruka was soon going to be facing off against these two S-class missing-nin. What they wanted the Kyuubi sealed for, Iruka didn't know, but he knew it wouldn't be good for Naruto.

For now there was nothing to do but wait and regain chakra. Iruka needed as much chakra as he could get if he was going to last the next few days. He had to do the jutsu, and have enough chakra left over to fight off Kisame and Itachi. Naruto might not be much help after the sealing. Even with Naruto's help Iruka had the sinking suspcion he wasn't going to fare well.

He didn't want to die. He couldn't die--not while Naruto needed him. He'd find some way to get through this. He'd find some miracle answer and escape with both his and Naruto's lives intact. Maybe, maybe...He could only hope that was what would happen.

Iruka tensed as Kisame moved. There was no more playful banter now. No more teasing calls of 'Oikawa-chan'. They were a day away from becoming enemies, and Iruka knew he was on the losing side of any battle. He was the underdog, and he had everything to lose. Iruka took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. He wasn't going to be any good if he wore himself out worrying.

Luckily, Kisame and Itachi still needed him. In an eerie echo of the incident that had made Iruka turn from Konoha, Iruka would coax the Kyuubi into the array with ramen and himself, and then the jutsu would be sprung. Hopefully, between the three of them, there would be enough chakra to make the jutsu strong enough to suppress the Kyuubi enough so the Yondaime's seal could take over. The array could channel a massive amount of chakra, and there was no chance of it getting over loaded. The only problem was if they be able to create enough chakra to supress the Kyuubi.

A lot of it would depend on Naruto, who had no idea what was going on. For all he knew Iruka was still looking for a way to save him. How could he know he was a day away from salvation...Iruka hoped. He hoped, and he prayed to whatever little or big gods that were listening. He hoped the ghosts of his freinds were looking down favorably on him. He was about to either take off flying or crash and burn.

He needed to fly for Naruto's sake. He couldn't let his little dandelion boy down. Naruto had been let down all his life, and Iruka would not do that. He wouldn't let Naruto die. He wouldn't let the Kyuubi have his body. He wouldn't let Kisame and Iatchi have him. He wasn't sure how he was going to do all this, but he was going to do it. He might just die trying. He probably would.

"How did you get away from the Kyuubi this time?" Itachi asked, eyes closed and face smooth. He looked asleep, and who knew what massive chakra he was gathering. Who knew how much chakra he had.

Iruka smiled grimly. He couldn't make his mouth do anything but that. "I fell into a sticker patch and scared up a deer." The deer had resembled a deer as much as Kyuubi-Naruto resembled Naruto, but it had been a deer. The Kyuubi had taken off after the deer, presumably to eat it. Iruka hadn't stuck around long enough to see exactly what became of it.

Kisame snorted, more derisive than it would have been a few days ago. More scornful. More dangerous. Everything was changing, and Iruka was aware, now more than ever, he was escaping death by the skin of his teeth. One day very soon he was going to run out of skin. He really didn't like the way Kisame was eyeing him. He didn't like the looks Itachi sent him. He didn't like anything these past few days had brought him.

But it would all end soon. For better or for worse the end was just around the corner. Iruka would be either free with Naruto at his side or dead. Those were his only two options, and, looking at the two missing-nin across from him, he had a feeling he knew which was more likely.

_I don't care if I die, but please, just please let Naruto get away. I can die, but let him escape. Just let him get away..._

Iruka repeated the words over and over in his head, hoping to make them true._ Just let him get away_...

* * *

**A/N: A little bit of silliness and foreboding to tide you over till the action starts. Two more chapters and an epilogue to go.**

**A small note on Genma: The poor man has ruined his taste buds with all his poison experiments. He has no idea cheese, pineapple, and icecream shouldn't be eaten together. Please don't hold his lack of taste buds against him.**

**400 plus reviews! O.O**

**Thanks to the reviewers: wolvknight, InARealPickle, Sonar, Nicole Miklos, terracannon876, Juniperbreezie, RedTheRetard, Ice Dragon3, Marz1, WannabeFireFox, Ally Plz, ellen hunter, CWolf2, Mare, sasori-kun, icestar-comet-moon, RandomReviewer, A kira, Miranda Crystal-Bearer, BlackDove-alchemist, umino-gaara, micah.n10, and ZeldaFitz!**


	25. Kamikaze Butterflies

_Pray for me, if you love me,__  
Cross your heart and hope,  
That I don't die before,__  
The best day of my life,  
Just pray for me tonight_.--Pray For Me-SIXX:A.M.

* * *

The morning was silent. The only noise Iruka could hear was soft shuffling while meager bags were packed. He didn't have anything to pack, and sat twirling the final instant ramen cup in his hand. This was it. The end was drawing near, and what an end it would be. Glorious redemption or death was only a few hours away.

Over the past few days the tension in the group had grown. They all knew the end of their alliance was coming. Iruka was glad, and terrified out of his mind. He was going to die, but he would no longer have to work with people like them. He wouldn't have to bend his twisted morals to someone else's preferences, because Kisame and Itachi were going to kill him the moment the alliance was dissolved.

Iruka had reached a resignation about his inevitable death. He was no longer trying to find a way to live, but trying to find away to get Naruto away from Itachi and Kisame. They didn't want the boy for himself. Iruka had decided they must want the Kyuubi, but in a easier, more manageable package than what it was in now. Dread was the only thing Iruka felt when he thought of Kisame and Itachi getting their hands on Naruto. He'd fight to the death to let the boy get away--not that he had any choice in the matter of dying.

Kisame stowed the last bit of gear away in his pack and stood. He looked at Iruka, and grinned. It was a blood-thirsty grin if Iruka had ever seen one. It sent shivers up and down his spine. There had been no friendly sparring matches or friendly jibes at 'Oikawa-chan' in the past few days. Iruka had gone from an amusing threat to an unnecessary hanger-on. His days were numbered--his hours now, and Kisame would love ripping his Oikawa-chan apart.

There were no words. They didn't need words. Everyone knew what to do, and what was coming. Iruka's stomach flipped, and he wanted to drag his feet. He was marching to his death, but he didn't dare go slowly. It might already be too late for Naruto. He couldn't delay this for anything. He didn't dare. He marched towards his death, warring eagerness and trepidation. He was going to die, but Naruto would be free.

Iruka scooped water into his ramen cup and began heating it. They didn't have time to waste on a fire, and Iruka would just have to sacrifice a little of his precious chakra. Iruka tried to ignore the looks he knew he was getting from Kisame and Itachi. He tried not to feel like his skin was trying to crawl off. No shinobi liked getting looks with killing intent in them.

Iruka jumped across the array and stood in the middle again. This time he had a different job to do. He was sealing, not being sealed. Kisame ushered the water into the array, and Iruka looked up to the trees. He knew Kyuubi-Naruto stayed close by to him most of the time, and he had to hope that the Kyuubi's sharp nose would pick up the scent of ramen and come for it.

Iruka felt a jagged grin cross his face. He was back in the same position. He was calling the Kyuubi into a dangerous array for the plans of someone else. Had he changed at all since that time? He'd done things he'd never thought he'd do, but had he changed? Was he still the same worn-out teacher searching desperately for a reason to stop? Was he still barely living?

No, he was different. He was stronger now, even if he didn't feel like it. He had lived on edge for far too log not to have changed. He had pushed himself past his limits and found he hadn't broken. He'd thrived. He'd grown. He'd lived through death and killing.

Here was the final test of how he'd grown. Could he do this without dying? Could he manage to seal the Kyuubi and then get Naruto away from Kisame and Itachi? He was going to find out soon. As soon as the Kyuubi touched down in the center of the array they would begin. Seconds, minutes, or hours from now it would all be over, and Iruka would have nothing to worry about. He'd be dead. He silently prayed for Naruto to come quickly.

He didn't want to die, no, but he didn't want to spend hours stewing over the fact was going to die. This was like getting a shot or taking a big test. The sooner it was over and done with the better. Waiting made Iruka twitchy. It made him want to scratch his skin off as it came alive with the crawling sensation of bugs. It made him edgy and jumpy, and that was the last thing he needed.

Iruka felt a wash of chakra that made him choke and flinch. After all this time he still wasn't used to the Kyuubi's chakra.

Iruka made himself look up and smile. "Hey, Naruto. How's it going?"

A snarl answered him, and the Kyuubi advanced.

* * *

Hinata was always early. Now she was waiting for the rest of her team to arrive, and she had settled down in one of Konoha's giant trees to wait for them. It was easy for her to sit silent and let the noise of Konoha wash over her. This close to the Kyuubi's Forest there was a lack of birds, and the village wasn't as loud as it had been before the Kyuubi had broken loose. Lots of things had changed since then, and not the least of them Hinata. She felt older, darker, and wiser in the ways of the world.

She hoped that was a good thing.

Two shinobi sat on the very edges of the wall, just within her sight. They had arrived after her, and didn't seem to notice her. Hinata was tempted to call one old and the other young, but that was wrong. They were both old. She could tell that in the way they sat, ready but tired. One she knew to be the great Toad Sage Jiraiya, and the other was Namiashi Raidou. What they were doing she didn't know. They seemed to be waiting.

Hinata would think that Raidou would want to stay as far away from the Kyuubi's Forest as he could, but there he was. What was he waiting for? Hinata sat still and watched. She'd find out what was going on soon enough, and if Shikamaru and the rest arrived before the shinobi left then she would ask them what was going on. It was their job to know what was going on around the forest.

Hinata caught movement out of the corner of her eye and turned her head slowly. She saw two people walking up the street--two shinobi. One was Shiranui Genma, and the other she wasn't so sure about. She thought his name might be Kotetsu. She'd seen him at the mission's desk, and he'd had something to do with the Chuunin exam.

Genma looked tired. He was younger than Raidou, but he looked just as old. They way he moved was practiced, second nature. He slid along, and if there had been more people on the street Hinata knew he would have been invisible, despite the shinobi uniform. He looked like all the shinobi Chuunin and above did these days--frayed and worn. They were, it seemed to Hinata, two steps away from madness, and some were dangling a foot in madness.

Kotetsu was mad. Hinata didn't know how she knew, but she did. Maybe it came from years of living around the Hyuuga shinobi as they aged and either went mad or retired. Those seemed to be the only two options for a shinobi. In Kotetsu's case, there was madness. He wasn't dangling a foot in the water of madness, but was standing knee-deep in it admiring the fish nibbling on his feet.

Hinata wondered if she would go mad like that. She'd thought she would after she'd first heard about Naruto. The utter darkness in her soul had frightened her, and nothing she did seemed to lessen it. Life seemed to grow dim and monotonous. Nothing made her happy, and everything seemed to drag her deeper down into the darkness that ate at her soul.

Lately she'd managed to stuff the darkness away while she worked. It was still there, but she liked to think it was fading. She didn't know if it really was, or if she was just getting used to it. Maybe she'd have to live with this heavy feeling for the rest of her life. Maybe this darkness of the soul was what drove shinobi mad. Hinata could see how that would happen. Maybe that was what had happened to Kotetsu.

Hinata watched as the two pairs of shinobi met. They were obviously heading out for the same purpose. The way Raidou mussed Kotetsu's hair, as if he were a Genin, and gave Genma a thump on the back spoke of camaraderie. They way all three looked at Jiraiya, though Kotetsu was picking at his clothes as if they felt strange. His feet fidgeted and his eyes wandered, but Hinata got the feeling he was paying the strictest attention to Jiraiya.

They headed out the gates, towards the forest. Hinata almost jumped down and ran after them. She didn't. For all she knew they were on official business. Hinata knew her team was something of a forgotten group. They were sometimes remembered, but the few times Shikamaru had forgotten to turn in his daily report they hadn't been chastised. In any case, what were the chances Jiraiya of all people was doing something he shouldn't be?

Hinata settled back against the tree and resolved to tell Shikamaru when he arrived. They would watch for the return of the group, but she didn't see a reason to stop them.

* * *

_Ramen_. He smelled ramen. His senses strained. It was ramen. His mouth watered. Ramen was good. Some part of him lunged for the thought that ramen was good and hung onto it. Ramen was good. Ramen was excellent. He wanted ramen, and he always got what he wanted. He should go and get the ramen--his ramen.

He growled and pawed at the part of his mind that had grown almost silent. Things about it stood out, mostly the love of ramen and a familiar person who was good. Now it struggled for the ramen, seeming convinced ramen was necessary for life. He growled again, shoving it down and away. He felt it cower for a moment, and then it set up its howling again. It _wanted_ ramen, and there would be no peace until it got ramen.

Ramen was good. It was nice, soft, and it didn't have to be chased down. It was easy food, not that he really needed food. He didn't need anything, really. He did want the ramen, and what harm in there was it? He prowled forward, sending chakra out like a cloud. He liked to know what was around him. He liked to feel things cower before the faintest brush of his chakra. He snarled at nothing, pleased to hear the sound.

Maybe the annoying shinobi would be there again. The shinobi didn't seem bothered by the Kyuubi's chakra. How such a puny thing got to be so comfortable around the burning red chakra was a mystery. Maybe he was stupid, or simply too weak to know the trouble he was facing.

A small part of the Kyuubi's mind snarled at that. It beat against the larger part, railing that the annoying shinobi wasn't weak or stupid. The Kyuubi batted it away again, but that didn't shut it up for long. It was clambering for ramen, recalling how good it tasted and how nice it was. It was annoying, but right. The Kyuubi almost turned away from the ramen smell just to spite it, but he didn't. He wanted ramen, and he _always_ got what he wanted.

Maybe he'd even kill that annoying shinobi, if he was stupid enough to be around. The tiny part of his mind wailed, flinging itself at the Kyuubi. It scrambled briefly for control, and failed. The Kyuubi pushed it down, and felt it scream and struggle. He grinned at the feeling of dominance and tossed the tiny part of his mind out of the way.

The Kyuubi prowled forward, intent on the ramen.

Deadfall crackled under his feet, burned away by his chakra. He slid through the forest, growling to himself just to hear the noise. It reverberated off the dead trees, and made the smaller ones shake. Ah, he was almost as powerful as he'd been before this pitiful prison had been placed on him. Soon he'd be back to his old strength. As soon as he got rid of the last vestiges of the prison's mind he could go back to being the glorious Kyuubi. The prison's mind clung like spider webs, and refused to be brushed away. No matter, it was weak now, and it couldn't last much longer.

He slid around another tree and found himself in a clearing. His eyes focused on the annoying shinobi, crouched by the bowl of ramen. He snarled, and enjoyed the flinch the annoying shinobi gave. The annoying shinobi needed to learn his place. The Kyuubi snarled and leapt.

He covered the distance to the annoying shinobi in one leap, and growled as he landed. He grabbed the ramen cup and began devouring the salty contents in great gulps. The annoying shinobi jerked back and, with a jolt of chakra, jumped away from the Kyuubi. Maybe he wasn't as stupid as the Kyuubi had first thought. The Kyuubi dismissed the annoying shinobi and gobbled at the ramen. The cup was melting in his hands.

He smelled chakra gathering around him. He looked around, and saw the fiery lines flying along water, gathering in a complex pattern. The lines of water around him were beginning to glow with chakra. He snarled at them and gathered himself up for a jump out of the chakra. If the annoying shinobi had thought to capture the Kyuubi so easily he was in for surprise.

The Kyuubi tried to jump, and fell. His claws were dug into the dirt, and small part of him, suddenly strong and viciously desperate, was trying its hardest to stay on the ground. It huddled down and fought against the Kyuubi's attempts to move. The Kyuubi snarled and growled. He dragged at the tiny piece of his mind and tried to shake it away as he had before. It didn't budge. It trembled, and for a moment the Kyuubi had control of an arm. Then it was strong again, hanging on and refusing to give up anything.

_Naruto! I'm __**Naruto**__, and this is __**my body!**_Kyuubi howled, tearing at the puny shinobi that held him down. It didn't budge. It held tight to its body, daring to defy the Kyuubi as he ripped at him, tearing away at his feeble control.

The chakra was growing stronger and closer. It pulled at his own chakra, funneling it away into the complex gathering. He snapped and snarled. He howled and tried to thrash his body. It twitched and quivered, but stayed still. It didn't move. The Kyuubi couldn't wrest control of his body away from a tiny, weak boy!

The Kyuubi howled again, and pressed down on the tiny part of his mind. He pushed, compressing the tiny part away from control and back into the darkest corner of the Kyuubi's mind. He pushed it far away from the control, and ignored its shouts and screams. He shoved it away and stamped it down till it was silent.

The Kyuubi gathered itself to jump out of the chakra, and felt it grab him. It pushed on him, compressing and squeezing. He howled, trying to shake it off. It was too late. He'd taken too long with the tiny boy. He was trapped.

Again.

* * *

Iruka couldn't see anything through the glow of chakra, but he could certainly hear something. The Kyuubi howled and snarled and the chakra built. Chills raced up and down Iruka's spine as he tried to remember all the signs. His hands were still flashing through them, but soon he'd have to hold one. They didn't actually need to finish the sealing jutsu, which was good. Iruka's chakra was draining fast. He couldn't keep this up much longer.

Iruka felt something crack. His body was filled with white hot pain. It raced up his chakra paths, burning into him. He gasped, but couldn't scream. He heard one long keening note rise from the middle of the array, and then the pain and light were gone. Iruka dropped to the ground, spent and exhausted.

He struggled up and looked around, collapsed in the middle of the array was a small figure...no tails or demonic chakra in sight. Iruka felt a surge of triumph. He wanted to shout. He wanted to dance. He wanted to run around screaming for the heck of it. Naruto was back, and the Kyuubi was sealed. He'd done it. He'd gotten Naruto back. He'd actually done it.

But, now...now he had to get his student away from Itachi and Kisame. Now he had to drag eighty-odd pounds of dead weight away from two S-class missing-nin without dying. Now come the impossible part. Now came death of a painful, bloody, and messy nature.

Iruka lurched to his feet, and looked over at Itachi, who was doing the same. Kisame was already on his feet. Iruka looked between them and began a lurching run for Naruto. He didn't have enough chakra for a translocation spell, or, more accurately, he needed that chakra for more important things. Maybe Itachi and Kisame were more drained than he was. Maybe he actually had a chance.

Half-way across the array Iruka ran into Kisame, who swung his sword with the intent to decapitate his 'Oikawa-chan'. It was a rather merciful death coming from Kisame. Iruka flung himself back and ducked, and was thrown back by an unexpected exploding tag. He heard Kisame swearing and saw a spiky-haired figure barrel into the missing-nin.

Then a giant toad nearly landed on Itachi, and chaos broke loose.

* * *

**A/N: Ya'll knew this was coming, didn't you? I love cliff hangers. Don't you?  
**

**Thanks to the reviewers: RandomReviewer, CWolf2, Mare, wolvknight, icestar-comet-moon, WannabeFireFox, BlackDove-alchemist, Marz1, RedTheRetard, A kira, Sasori-kun, Nicole Miklos, Miranda Crystal-Bearer, Ally Plz, InARealPickle, and Cutest Despot Ever!**

**Only a chapter and the apilogue to go! Next Chapter: Coup de Grace!**


	26. Coup De Grace

_I know I'd better stop trying,  
You know that there's no denying,  
I won't show mercy on you now,  
I know I should stop believing,  
I know that there's no retrieving,  
It's over now,  
What have you done?  
What have you done now?-_What Have You Done-Within Temptation

* * *

Genma had rarely run this fast outside of combat. His feet hit the trees with jarring force, and he was one slip away from a painful or deadly fall. Jiraiya led his band of renegades through the trees at a break-neck pace. Genma was afraid the pace was justified. It had taken Genma longer than expected to get Kotetsu out of the hospital. The younger shinobi was _physically_ fit enough to be released, but _mentally_ he was still a wreck.

Raidou had the rear, as always, and Genma was behind Jiraiya and Kotetsu. Kotetsu's pace through the trees was haphazard at best, but he had always been that way. He leapt from branch to branch like a monkey, making twice as many small leaps as Genma made larger ones. He really did look like some strange monkey, bouncing from limb to limb and catching on with whatever limb was at hand.

Genma flung himself to another tree and _felt_ chakra. It was something akin to what he'd felt when the Kyuubi had been behind him, but not so...tainted. Jiraiya seemed to pick up the pace again, and Genma clamped his teeth firmly around the senbon in his mouth. It was coated with a mild stimulant that might make all the difference.

Raidou, Genma, and Kotetsu were to concentrate their attacks on Itachi's missing-nin companion, Kisame. Jiraiya would take care of Itachi. Iruka was going to be left alone, assuming he didn't attack anyone he wasn't supposed to. But why would he? Genma didn't have any more time to think about that now. The chakra had vanished, and the four Konoha shinobi were dropping down into a clearing filled with a giant array.

Genma had time enough to see four people in the clearing, one crumpled in the middle of the array, before Kotetsu streaked past him, throwing a handful of kunai covered in exploding tags. Genma swore, and took off after Kotetsu, who was running for Kisame and Iruka. The explosion of the tags threw Iruka and Kisame apart, and then Kotetsu was on Kisame.

The ground shuddered as Jiraiya's giant summon landed almost on the genius Uchiha Itachi. Genma dodged around the toad, which was a taller than Genma, and tried to get to Kisame and Kotetsu. Genma knew the brat didn't care if he died, but Genma _was not_ going to let that happen. Too many good shinobi had died already, and if he let Kotetsu die, Izumo's ghost would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Genma's dodge around the toad brought him face to face with Itachi and a fireball jutsu. Genma threw himself out of the way, and buried two senbon almost in Itachi. The Uchiha dodged with a fluid grace Genma both envied and cursed. Genma flicked some shuriken at Itachi and made a clone, hoping just to get around Itachi. He needed to get to Kotetsu _now_!

Itachi's clone met Genma's, and Itachi himself barely missed getting his head smashed in by Raidou's fist. Genma threw a handful of poisoned senbon at Itachi. He dodged and sent a cloud of fire at Genma. Genma leapt up above the fire, and came down only a foot away from the Uchiha. He lashed out with a foot and missed. Itachi's clone, already done with Genma's, tried to bury a kunai in Genma's back.

Raidou dispatched the clone with a kunai, and swung another blow at Itachi. Itachi blocked it, and Genma could see the smaller shinobi shudder under the force of the blow. Raidou was using chakra-enhanced taijutsu, and he was _good_ at it. Itachi blocked two more fast blows, and spun away. As good as Raidou was, Itachi had the Sharingan, and he would always be better.

Genma threw more senbon at Itachi and flipped his hands through signs. The earth under Itachi's feet tried to grab him and trip him up. Itachi flipped away from it, and three Uchiha shadow-clones popped into existence. Genma caught Raidou's foul curse, and spat his senbon at one clone.

Genma ducked a blow from another clone, and jumped back. He felt the air around him sizzle and recognized one of the Uchiha's famous fire jutsu. This was one that could incinerate a man on the spot, and it was flying straight at Genma and Raidou. Genma scrambled to get out of the way, but a clone blocked him. The air grew thin and hot, and Genma's skin crawled.

There was suddenly a thick wall of earth between them and the flames. Genma heard the fire roar around them and watched the clones vanish as the super-heated air touched them. Genma sent a quick prayer of thanks to Jiraiya for saving his life before launching himself around the wall of earth at Itachi.

Genma threw senbon; Itachi dodged him and the blows from Raidou. The Uchiha wasn't even breaking a sweat, and his face was a calm mask as always. He danced back from every potential hit with arrogance and grace. Genma gritted his teeth and kept coming, waiting for Itachi to make a mistake. Genma only needed one opening, and then he could poison the Uchiha.

It would be all over then, and Itachi knew it. He knew Genma was a poison expert, and one hit from a poisoned senbon would mean death for Itachi. Genma was using only deadly poisons today. Itachi suddenly smirked, and five more clones popped into existence. The brat had to be almost out of chakra, if he'd just preformed a massive sealing jutsu. He didn't seem to be fazed by that.

Genma ducked a spiral of fire, and felt it singe his cheek. He delivered a blow to a clone and tried to get around them. Clones were a waste of time, but Itachi's could be deadly, especially if he was still fond of Iruka's old trick of giving a clone an exploding tag. One of those could easily take Genma or Raidou out. Genma dismissed another clone, and looked around. There was only one more Itachi, and as Raidou landed a solid blow to its gut. Genma hoped it was the real Itachi.

It was a clone, Genma realized with a stab of dread as he saw the real Itachi heading for Iruka. Iruka--who was huddled in the middle of the array clutching something to his chest.

* * *

Iruka jumped around the flurry of blocks and blows that was Kisame and Kotetsu, of all people. The wide grin fixed on Kotetsu's face was mad with pain and grief. Iruka tried not to think about that as he launched himself towards the middle of the array and Naruto. He had to get there first, and Kotetsu wouldn't last long against Kisame.

Iruka stumbled over the array's lines as he ran. His balance was off. His legs were weak. He was seconds away from collapse. He didn't know where Kotetsu or the giant toad had come from, but he wasn't going to stop and ask. The whole clearing was a mass of flying jutsu, live steel, and fighting. Iruka couldn't tell how many shinobi there were, and he didn't have time to count. He had to get to Naruto.

A clone of Kisame formed out of the water in front of him. It grinned viciously and swung at Iruka. Iruka jumped back. If he let himself get touched he would be trapped by the water of the clone. He didn't dare even let it get close. Iruka dodged again, ducked and stumbling as his foot slipped into one of the troughs of water. He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end as he narrowly missed getting hit.

Iruka scrambled back from the grinning clone and nearly fell again. He grabbed an exploding tag and slapped it on a kunai before throwing both at the clone. The clone dodged, but the force of the explosion dispelled it. Iruka dashed by, the hot water from the exploded clone burning his skin as it splattered onto him.

Iruka made it two steps before water reared out of the trench and grabbed him. Iruka felt the water clamp around his ankle with surprising force. He fell down, hands fumbling through signs he was only half sure would work. Iruka caught a glimpse of Kisame throwing Kotetsu away with a brutal punch as he used the other hand to hold the water jutsu around Iruka's ankle. If he got the use of his other hand he could break Iruka's leg.

Iruka didn't dare race through the long sequence of signs he was working on. He couldn't afford to start over. Iruka felt a cold sweat break out all over him. Kotetsu was back on his feet, and a giant kunai parried Kisame's sword. Kotetsu wielded his giant kunai with amazing grace, but Iruka would have felt much more confident if Kotetsu hadn't had that mad look on his face.

Kisame batted Kotetsu away again, this time slamming the shinobi into a tree. Iruka winced as he heard bones snap, and then panicked when Kisame looked at him and gave him a blood-thirsty grin. Iruka scrambled through signs he knew he wouldn't finish before Kisame had crushed his leg from hip to foot.

The ground underneath Kisame suddenly turned to soupy mud. Kisame stumbled, his hands flying out to help his balance as he scrambled out of the mud. His jutsu dropped, and Iruka jerked his feet back under himself. Kisame was suddenly very busy with a white-haired Sannin and a giant amphibian. Iruka scrambled around and headed for Naruto.

Iruka almost fell on his student. He crouched down beside the deathly-still figure and fumbled for a pulse. It was there, erratic but strong. Iruka wanted to laugh with relief, but he didn't dare spare the energy even for that. He needed to get Naruto out of here. Iruka pulled his student half into his lap and felt the reassuring thumping of Naruto's heart reverberating through the boy's body.

He had Naruto, and now he just had to get away.

Iruka hefted Naruto into his arms, and gathered himself up for a quick run. If he could make it into the forest, he might be able to get away. The ground under Iruka suddenly lurched, and fire burned at him as it blew past. His heart jumped and lurched. He fell backward and found himself looking up at Itachi.

The Uchiha's red eyes were wide open, and Iruka didn't recognize the shape the Sharingan was in. Iruka clutched Naruto to him with his right hand, and scrambled through the dead grass with his left for anything to throw as he looked up at the scarlet eyes lined in black. He didn't like the look of that Sharingan. He didn't want to know what it could do.

"You've never seen the Makengyou Sharingan before, have you?" Itachi smiled and Iruka knew he was dead. "I assure you, it's very….entertaining."

Iruka felt the draw of a genjutsu on his mind. His left hand hit something thin and sharp. Iruka felt three pricks of burning pain before his hand closed around something long and thin. Iruka flipped them into his hand, mind already pulled half into the genjutsu of Itachi's, and instinct took over. He had something in his hand. He was being attacked. Attack back.

Iruka had never had good aim with senbon. In fact, he had horrible aim with them. Genma, an expert, had despaired of ever getting Iruka to hit anything smaller than a building. He'd told Iruka if he ever picked up a senbon and attempted to use them, Genma would skin him alive for endangering his comrades. Befuddled as he was by the genjutsu the senbon should have flown harmlessly by Itachi, or barely skimmed him.

They didn't.

Itachi jerked back, left eye wide as he looked down at Iruka. His mouth opened in a small pink 'o.' He clutched at his right eye, blood dribbling through his fingers as he staggered back. He made a small noise that was more surprised than pained. Iruka stared, mind dragging itself slowly from the failed genjutsu. He'd just hit Uchiha Itachi in his _eye_!

Iruka jerked himself to a crouch, and clutched Naruto to him. Stunned as he was, Itachi would let him by. He could get away now. He was almost home free. He just had to—

Itachi's injury hadn't gone unnoticed. A clone of Genma slammed four senbon into Itachi's back while a clone of Raidou hit him in the arm with a kunai. Iruka heard Kisame shout, and felt the ground tremble. He whipped around and saw Kisame's hands flip through signs. Iruka's mouth went dry, and he jerked to his feet.

The weight of Naruto nearly dragged him back down. All the adrenaline in the world couldn't help him carry eighty-odd pounds fast enough to get away from the jutsu Kisame had just used. There was no way, and as Iruka managed two running steps a wall of water slammed into him and swept him away through the forest. Iruka clutched Naruto to him as he swirled through the water, and prayed for mercy as he was swept towards imminent death.

* * *

Jiraiya knew plans never lasted long. He really hated plans, and the fact that he was always expected to have one. When Kotetsu had run for Kisame and Genma and Raidou had gotten tangled up with Itachi, Jiraiya threw all plans out the window and tried to help both of them. Kotetsu needed the most help. Kisame was brutal.

The younger shinobi was getting tossed around this way and that, but he kept getting up. None of Kisame's blows seemed to be fazing him--except for the one that sent Kotetsu crunching into a tree. Jiraiya jumped in then, and he knew he was better than Kisame. He needed a little time, and then he could have the missing-nin's head on a platter.

Jiraiya had his hands full. Kisame was an old missing-nin, and he was mean. He knew tricks that Jiraiya had only dreamed of. His chakra was immense. Even after performing such a large jutsu he still had enough to fight. Even if the shinobi was popping soldier pills Jiraiya was impressed. Kisame gave Jiraiya a vicious grin, and nearly decapitated the Sannin.

Despite the heat of their battle, both looked when they heard the small wounded cry from Itachi. Jiraiya stared in shock as he warded off one of Kisame's blows. Itachi was clutching at his right eye, and there was a _senbon_ sticking out of it! The two clones slammed into Itachi and vanished. Jiraiya jumped back from Kisame, planning on finishing his fight quickly. He'd never hear the end of it if Tsuande knew Genma, Raidou, and Iruka had taken down Uchiha Itachi before Jiraiya had taken down Kisame.

He didn't get a chance to finish it. Kisame's hands flew through signs faster than Jiraiya had thought the shinobi capable of. Kisame swayed as he finished the signs, and Jiraiya felt the ground rumble. There was a roar, and Jiraiya saw a wall of water speeding towards him. He swore, and immediately he remembered Kotetsu, broken and dropped against the tree. Jiraiya translocated over to the shinobi's side, and found him struggling to get up.

Jiraiya grabbed Kotetsu under the arms. Kotetsu gave a hoarse cry as his arm grated. Jiraiya gathered his chakra, and raced up the tree. He couldn't get high enough to escape the wall of water. Jiraiya, holding Kotetsu in a death grip with oen arm, fastened as much of his body as he could to the tree, and held on for all he was worth. The water tore at him as it whipped past. It almost jerked him from the tree, and he felt Kotetsu's broken arm getting jerked out of alignment. Jiraiya was surprised the younger shinobi didn't start screaming and drown.

The water was suddenly gone. Kotetsu gasped, choked, and coughed as he hung limply across the Sannin's arm. Jiraiya relaxed his hold on the tree and slid down to the ground. Kotetsu retched and whimpered as his feet hit the ground. Jiraiya carried him two more steps and then let the broken boy slip to the ground.

The clearing was bare, swept viciously clean by the torrent of water. Some of the massive trees had been knocked over. There was no trace of the intricate array, or the people who had put it to use. Kotetsu whimpered again, and gave a heaving sob. Jiraiya scanned the trees, looking for Genma and Raidou. Had they been swept away?

Genma suddenly dropped down beside Jiraiya. He was missing his _hitai-ate_, and his flak vest. His hair was a bit singed in the front, and there was a freely bleeding cut on his forehead. He looked frantic.

"Where's Rai--" Genma began. He was cut off by a wet thump as the missing shinobi hit the ground beside Genma. Genma, eyes wide and face pale, was down by Raidou in a second, rolling him over and giving him a shake.

"Raidou? Holy flying tree fungus, I swear if you're dead I'm going to--"

"Kill me yourself?" Raidou croaked. He pulled himself up using Genma's shoulder, nearly knocked them both over. He gagged and threw up a stomach-full of water almost in Genma's lap. Genma didn't seem to mind, if the head-splitting grin he was sporting meant anything.

"Did you see what happened to Iruka?" Jiraiya asked. He put a tired hand on Kotetsu's head, though it didn't change the shinobi's shuddered sobs.

Genma sobered immediately. "Yeah, he-he got caught up that wave. I didn't see what happened after that. I was too busy hanging on." Genma grabbed Raidou by his flak vest to keep his comrade from falling over. His face clearly asked Jiraiya what they should do--if they should look or just get Raidou and Kotetsu back to Konoha. Kotetsu's arm was _broken_, and the hard hiccupping sobs he was making sounded hysterical.

Jiraiya took a breath, and was suddenly surrounded by shinobi. He tensed and crouched, relaxing only slightly as he saw who was leading the band. He smiled.

"Tsunade-hime! What a pleasure to see you. I wasn't expecting you for another few days," Jiraiya said with a smile.

Tsunade snorted. "It's a good thing I came when I did. I get back and I hear you've gone off after three missing-nin and the Kyuubi with three shinobi, one of whom you broke out of the hospital. I thought I was rushing here to rescue you, but evidently not. Are you all alive?"

At the word 'alive' Kotetsu almost howled. Genma laughed weakly, and Raidou made a noise like a gurgle. Jiraiya kept smiling as he looked at Tsunade. There was a woman who looked like she could get things done, and Jiraiya knew she would get things done.

"Oh yes, all alive, I think," Jiraiya replied before risking life and limb by giving Tsunade a giant hug.

* * *

Genma had been demoted to desk-monkey. He didn't really mind. One, he was working directly under the Hokage, and two, he couldn't run any missions until his partners were back to one-hundred percent. There was no way he was running a mission without them.

Kotetsu, with a broken arm and a splinted leg, sorted paper one-handed, while Genma and Raidou filled out forms and ran paper-work to and from the Hokage's office. Putting a village to rights took a lot of paper-work, and Genma was beginning to think all of it was going to go through him. One the plus side, Genma was very up-to-date on everything that was happening. He, Raidou, and Kotetsu were in the Hokage's office when Anko came and reported about the search going on in the 'Kyuubi's Forest.'

"Nothing?" Tsunade looked up at Anko and raised an eyebrow.

"Nah, no sign of Kisame or of Iruka. My guess is Kisame got away, and Iruka got swept down into a river, or something," Anko shrugged. "We'll keep looking, but I'm telling them to look for a corpse now."

Genma tried not to wince. Itachi had been found two days ago, one-eyed and weakened from poison. He was now in the loving care of ANBU, who were keeping a close watch on him and extracting all the information they could about the organization he was in--the Akatsuki. If he managed to survive his wounds, and the ANBU could keep him from suiciding, he might have good information. Genma shook his head and flicked Kotetsu's nose.

Kotetsu blinked and sneezed. "I don't think Iruka's dead. He could swim."

Genma smiled a little, and Raidou mussed Kotetsu's hair. "Yeah, kiddo, he can swim."

"Like a frog," Kotetsu piped with a fragile smile. Anko rolled her eyes at Kotetsu, and she almost smiled. There was something nice about seeing something so broken slowly getting better. He'd never be the shinobi he once was, but...

"Fine, look for a body, but don't stop looking," Tsunade gnawed on a pen and scowled. "Pull some more Inuzuka onto the job if you want to. Get some of Iruka's old stuff from the ANBU, if they want it."

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Anko saluted and stuck her tongue out at Kotetsu as she turned and left.

Tsunade gave a large sigh and put her head in her hands. "Why did I ever agree to take this _crazy_ job?" Tsunade asked.

" 'Cause you love us," Kotetsu answered, not realizing the question was rhetorical, but the smile Tsunade gave him made Genma think maybe the question had needed an answer. In any case, it was the answer Tsunade needed to hear, and it was true. She loved every single shinobi of Konoha, and she would fight for their lives.

Genma smiled. "Where do you need these papers, Hokage-sama?"

"Oh, those? Put them over here..."

* * *

**A/N: I almost made this not a cliff hanger, but I didn't. It just read better this way. The epilogue will be up Wednesday/Thursday.**

**Thanks to the reviewers:Master Tabby. Marz1, yro, RedTheRetard, Ice Dragon3, wolvknight. Ally Plz, Sonar, Airily, Ryo Yuriko, Kawaii Iruka, WannabeFirefox, Mare, CWolf2, icestar-comet-moon, eggomilburningan, A kira, BlackDove-alchemist, Nicole Miklos, ellen hunter, micah.n10, sasori-kun, VescaWithoutWings, Miranda Crystal-Bearer, InARealPickle, Randome Reviewer, and terrocannon876.**

**I love you all so much.**

**Jaa ne!**


	27. Epilogue

_...and it felt so right,  
Sleeping all day, staying up all night,  
If I could find you now, things would get better,  
We could leave this town and run forever,  
I know somewhere somehow, we'll be together,  
Let your waves crash down on me,  
And take me away.-_Ocean Avenue--Yellowcard

* * *

Kirigakure no Sato was a true hidden village. Only its ninja knew how to find it. In order for goods to get into it, merchants had to be blindfolded. Usually shinobi just went to the civilian city not far from their hidden village and got what they needed there. Any shops or restaurants in the village were run by retired shinobi, and there were very few of both in Kiriga. It was a lot different from the openness of Konoha.

Despite all the differences, one thing was exactly the same.

"Chiba! Throw that at me and I will remove your hand!"

The eraser was lowered, and the child had the decency to look sheepish. Her class-mates didn't dare giggle at her plight. They could be inches away from calling the teacher's wrath down on their own heads. No one wanted Sensei mad at them. He was, after all, a legendary Kiriga shinobi. His bloody career as a shinobi, though it was short, was bloody, fantastic, and deadly. It made great material for scary stories.

Yes, Umino Iruka had made quiet a name for himself as a shinobi since his arrival in Kiriga almost eight years ago. His rather bloody run as a shinobi had ended just two years ago, after which he'd taken a job teaching the future shinobi of Kiriga. He was also responsible for, with the current Mizukage's help, reforming the teaching methods of Kiriga.

Iruka's students didn't care much about that. They stared at him with anxious eyes, hoping to be released early. There was a light drizzle hitting the school room windows, but what Kiriga child cared about being wet? Many learned to swim around the time they started walking. They were about as amphibious as frogs, and playing a good game of shuriken tag in the rain was what they lived for at this age. Iruka grinned. He was going to make them work for every second of freedom.

The door suddenly opened, and all the kid's heads snapped around to look. Iruka looked, and he smiled. The robed man in the doorway grinned back.

"Sorry, am I interrupting?" he asked.

"Oh, no, not at all Mizukage-sama. We were just about to dismiss." Iruka gave a small bow and listened to the children's cheer. "Okay, my dear oikawa, there will be a test tomorrow on something we learned today! Study hard, and don't forget to pay your respects to the Mizukage on your way out."

There was a collective groan from the class, and the kids began dutifully filing out. Each one mumbled an awed greeting to the Mizukage. Some bowed, and a few saluted. Most of these children came from families that had been shinobi for generations, and the Mizukage was everyone's hero. The Mizukage replied cheerfully to each greeting and saluted each child as they passed. As soon as the children were gone he turned and smiled widely at Iruka, showing far too many sharp teeth.

"That was _mean_, Iruka-sensei!" the Mizukage protested. He sat down on Iruka's desk and began rearranging the kunai stuck in the desk's surface. The kunai were dulled, and great for throwing at errant students.

Iruka chuckled. "We didn't cover a lot today, and they should all be able to pull out a decent grade. It was actually very nice of me to give them warning. I must be getting soft in my old age, ne, Naruto?"

Naruto laughed. Iruka had never gotten his dandelion boy back, really. Naruto's hair was only blonde at the roots, and his hair faded out to red at the wild tips. His whisker-marks were for more prominent than Iruka remembered them being, and Naruto's blue eyes were now purple with slitted pupils. He was almost too long-limbed, and he had a grace he'd never possessed before the Kyuubi incident.

His appearance had all the village shinobi convinced he was half-demon, and that might be closer to the truth than anyone would ever guess. Sometimes Iruka thought the Kyuubi had left a lasting impression on Naruto's personality, making the boy just a little more bloodthirsty and merciless than he had been. Then again, there was a need for that in Kiriga.

"Now, what can I help you with, O Great Mizukage-sama?" Iruka asked as he stacked up papers and placed them in a water-proof bag.

Naruto cackled and headed for the door. "Well, O wise and venerable sensei, the ambassadors from Konoha have arrived, and I want you to be there when I meet them. It's only fitting, ne?"

Iruka grabbed his bag and followed his former student. "I suppose. How long will this take? I have papers to grade."

Naruto's eyes sparkled as they stepped out into the misting rain. Naruto shook his head and pulled his hat up onto his head. Iruka just opened his umbrella and chakra-walked across the puddles. As they went they received many greetings. Naruto was not only the youngest Mizukage ever, having become Mizukage at the age of twenty, but the best-liked there had ever been. At twenty two he had a long career ahead of him, since few people would even think of challenging him, much less actually do it.

Iruka had never intended to go to Kiriga, but after two years of trying to find some place he had found Kirigakure. Evidently his mother was much-loved as a legendary figure, and a prime example of what every good Kiriga shinobi should be. Now that the family of the politician she had kill had been exposed as traitors to Kiriga, the shinobi were free to exalt her as they saw fit. Iruka had managed to use his mother's name as a hand-hold while he carved his own niche in the hierarchy of shinobi.

Iruka nodded to an old man who hailed him as 'sensei'. It didn't matter who it was, because everyone know called Iruka 'sensei'. He was the Mizukage's teacher, and since the Mizukage called him 'sensei', everyone else did too. Iruka didn't mind. He rather liked it.

Iruka and Naruto waved at the guards as they walked into the Mizukage's complex. Naruto didn't really _need_ guards. He was, without a doubt, the best shinobi Kiriga had. Iruka wasn't close to the boy in skill, but his strange tactics, a mix of Konoha and Kiriga, had advanced him far in the ranks before he'd retired to teaching. Maybe one day he'd retire from teaching and grow old in comfort and boredom. Maybe...

Naruto nodded to a shinobi waiting outside a pair of large doors. She nodded and smiled at Naruto. Naruto was considered very attractive by the kunoichi of Kiriga, and it was only a matter of time before the young Mizukage would find himself married. Iruka didn't think he was opposed to that idea.

The kuniochi stepped through the doors and announced them to the ambassadors: Mizukage Umino Naruto, and his advisor, the honorable Umino Iruka.

Naruto swung the doors open with a dramatic flair he was so fond of. Konoha and Kiriga were still growling at each other while they tried to find terms that made everyone happy. Naruto had leapt on the chance to be allied with the great nation, and a treaty was slowly being hammered out. This group of shinobi was the first group of foreign shinobi to be welcomed into Kiriga in years. Hopefully important steps could be made towards the tentative treaty.

Konoha probably had no idea Iruka and Naruto were still alive. The only news of the two that could have reached them would have been about Kiriga's newest demons, and if anyone in Konoha had decided those new demons were Iruka and Naruto...well, Iruka would eat his grade book without salt.

Four shinobi waited on the other side of the doors. Iruka smiled when he saw them. There were all about Naruto's age. The leader was a spiky-haired man with a sullen expression. His followers were a varied bunch to say the least. A blond woman in purple, with and irritated look on her face stood beside him. A kunoichi with two buns on her head, a smile, and an amazing amount of empty holsters hanging about her person stood directly behind the purple dressed kunoichi. The last was a heavy set man with a bored expression. All stared at Naruto as he gave them his best 'I'm going to eat you' grin.

"Welcome," Naruto began in a loud voice. "to Kirigakure, dear Konohagakure shinobi! May your stay be fruitful and safe."

Shikamaru blinked and smirked. "Oh, I'm certain it will be."

* * *

**The end, dears, that's the end. (Shikamaru's team was Ino, Tenten, and Chouji!)**

A few things you might want to know now that you've finished Burning Deadfall.

You just read 128 pages of fanfiction. That's almost a novel!

This started as a random fic-bit I started when I was upset and grew from that.

This story is labelled 'Grrr' on my computer, and I usually call it that instead of Burning Deadfall.

BD has _99_ faves, _113 _alerts, and _475_+ reviews.(THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH!)

I've had so much fun writing this, and I hope you enjoyed reading it.

_ Domo arigatou gozaimasu._

**Sayonara minna-san!**


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